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History of Ajmer
For long, Ajmer remained a politically and spiritually important centre for the Rajputs, the Mughals and the Marathas. It continued to be the seat of administration for the Chauhans till, in 1193, the army of Mohammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan. Thereafter, it became part of the Sultanate of Delhi. However, the Rajputs regained control of the city with the crusades of Rana Kumbha of Mewar and Raja Maldeo. Today, Ajmer is a significant spiritual and cultural centre of India and people from all spheres and religions of life throng to the city to seek the blessings of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti, whose shrine is located in the heart of the city.

Attractions


	Ajmer Sharief Dargah - Situated at the foot of a hill and in the old part of town, this is one of the most important places in India for Muslim pilgrims. The dargah is the tomb of a Sufi saint, Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti, who came to Ajmer from Persia in 1192 and died here after a six-day prayer in seclusion. These six days are celebrated every year as the annual Urs, which is attended by countless pilgrims no matter what their faith. The shrine is considered to be a place of wish fulfillment for those who pray with dedication and pure hearts. Humayun completed the construction of this shrine and the gate was

added by the Nizam of Hyderabad. Akhbar used to make the pilgrimage to the Dargah from Agra once a year. The entry to the Dargah is through the Dargah Bazar that leads to the inner courtyard. The high gateway has beautifully carved silver doors. In the courtyard are kept two huge cauldrons with capacity of 2240 kg and 4480 kg. On special occasions, Kheer cooked in these cauldrons is distributed among the pilgrims. The grave of the Sufi Saint is surrounded by a silver railing and is partly covered with a marble screen. The daughter of Shah Jahan had built a prayer room in the Dargah for the women devotees. The premises of the Dargah also house the tomb of Bhishti, tomb of Saint's daughter-Bibi Hafiz Jama, and tomb of Shah Jahan's daughter Chimni Begum. The saint's tomb is in the center of the second court. It has a marble dome and the actual tomb inside is surrounded by a silver platform. The horseshoes nail to the shrine doors are offerings from successful horse dealers.
Adhai-din-ka Jhonpra - Beyond the Dargah, on the outskirts of town, are the ruins of Adhai-Din-Ka-Jhonpra mosque. According to legends its construction, in 1153, took just 2 and a 1/2 days. (Adhai-Din-Ka-Jhonpra literally means '2 and a 1/2 day building'). Others believe it was named after a festival that lasted for 2 and a 1/2 days. Originally built as a Sanskrit college, in 1198 Mohammed of Ghauri captured Ajmer and converted the building into a mosque by adding a seven-arched wall covered with Islamic calligraphy in front of the pillared hall. Its fine architecture and intricate carvings are well worth
seeing and the pillars and the arched screen, with its damaged minarets, is noteworthy. The Government Museum - Situated in the centre of the old city and close to the railway station the museum is housed in the beautiful fort and palace built by Akbar in 1570. What is today commonly known as Magazine is the palace quarters where the emperors lived. After British occupation in 1818 and during the first war of Independence in 1857 it was used as the Rajputana Arsenal by the British which gave the name Magazine.
Nasiyan Jain Temple - Situated in the center of the town is a striking red Jain temple (Digambar), known as Nasiyan. This temple was built in 1865 and is also famous by the name Golden Temple, due to its amazing and unique display. The main double storeyed hall is exceptionally beautiful with gold and silver adornments. Within the temple there is a splendid display of wooden gilt representations, glass engravings and paintings reciting the Jain faith about the creation of the world.
Ana Sagar - This artificial lake was created by damming the river Luni. On its banks are the fine parks, the Daulat Bagh and Subhash Bagh, with a series of marble pavilions that were erected in 1637 by Emperor Shah Jehan. There is an island in the center of the lake and it is a popular place for evening stroll.