AJMER
PLACES TO VISIT
Just over 130 kms south-west
of Jaipur is Ajmer, a burgeoning town on the shore of the Ana Sagar,
flanked by barren hills. Historically, Ajmer had considerable strategic
importance and was sacked by Mohammed of Ghori on one of his periodic
forays from Afghanistan. Later it became a favourite residence of
the mighty Mughals. Ajmer is a major center for Muslim pilgrims during
the fast of Ramadan, and has some impressive Muslim architecture.
The Dargah
The Dargah is the tomb of a sufi saint,
Khwaja Muin-uddin Chisti, who came to Ajmer from Persia in 1192.
Construction of the shrine was completed by Humayun. Constructed
of white marble, it has 11 arches and a Persian inscription running
the full length of the building. It has a marble dome and the actual
tomb inside is surrounded by a silver platform. The tomb attracts
hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year on the anniversary
of the saint's death.
Adhai-Din-Ka Jhonpara
One of the finest example of Indo-Islamic
architecture, this mosque was a Sanskrit college in the 12th century.
In 1193 AD Mohammad Ghori destroyed the college and a mosque was
built in its place. The mosque was built on pillars and surprisingly
no two pillars are alike.
The Museum
The Royal Palace of Akbar was converted
into a Museum and today it houses a rich collection of Mughal and
Rajput armory. Some of the fine and delicate sculptures of the region
have been displayed here. The building itself has been constructed
of red sandstone which have been laid down in a square pattern,
giving it a fabulous look.
Ana Sagar Lake
This lake was built by Anaji during
1135-1150 AD. Later the mughal emperors made additional constructions
to beautify the lake. The 'Baradari', a marble pavilion was built
by Shah Jahan and the ' Daulat Bagh ' gardens were laid by Jahangir.
This lake is located towards the north of Ajmer city.
Taragarh Fort
Built in the 7th century by Ajaipal
Chauhan, the fort gives birds eye view of the city. Taragarh fort
or the ' Star fort ' is situated on a hill and to reach there one
has to take winding bridle path.
Nasiyan (Jain Temple)
The Red temple on Prithviraj Marg
is a Jain temple built last century and is definitely worth checking
out. Its double story hall contains a fascinating series of large,
gilt wooden figures from Jain mythology which depict the Jain concept
of the ancient world. This red colored Jain temple was built in
the late 19th century. The wooden gilt in the double storeyed hall
depicts scenes from the Jain mythology. The beauty of this temple
is widely acclaimed. |
