Ajmer

Located some 130 kms southwest of Jaipur, Ajmer is a revered pilgrimage destination for more than one community. One side of Ajmer is flanked by the beautiful Ana Sagar lake while on the other side are the barren Aravalli ranges. The pilgrimage destinations of Ajmer are symbols of religious unity in true sense of the term. The famous dargah of 13th-century Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti is basically a Muslim shrine but devotees cutting across religious lines come to offer prayers in large numbers. The Nasiyan Jain temple is a revered shrine of the Jain community but is also visited by other communities. On one side of Ajmer is the beautiful Ana Sagar lake and on the other side are the barren Aravalli ranges.

The Dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti is the most visited place of Ajmer. Also a symbol of religious unity, devotees belonging to all religions visit this revered place...

Arhai-din-ka-Jhonpra in English means two-and-a-half-day shelter. It is a mosque built by invader Mohammed Ghori. It is said that a Sanskrit college initially stood at the place. In the year 1188 AD, Mohammed Ghori converted the building into a mosque within two-and-a-half days and hence the present name. The mosque has seven arched walls with Islamic calligraphy. Prayers are not held in the mosque nowadays.

The lovely Ana Sagar lake was constructed by King Anaji, grandfather of the great warrior Prithvi Raj Chauhan in the 12th century. The scenic beauty of the place where the lake is located attracts tourists in large numbers. A marble pavilion built by Emperor Shahjahan also stands near the lake. Beautiful gardens on the sides further adds colour to the place.

Dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankara Rishabdebji, this temple is greatly revered by the Jain community. The construction of this temple was completed in the year 1895. The first floor of the temple named Swarna Nagari has gold plated replicas of every Jain Temple in India. Over 1,000 kilogram of gold has been used for the purpose. Depictions of scenes from Jain mythology also adorn the walls of Swarna Nagari.

One of the smallest of Rajasthan forts, the Tara Garh fort was built by Ajaypal Chauhan in the year 1100 AD. A winding uphill road leads to the fort situated on top of a hill. Tara Garh is a rectangular fort whose walls are almost four-and-a-half metre thick. It is worth mentionable that Tara Garh is the first Indian fort to have been built on top of a hill. A splendid bird's eye view of entire Ajmer is available from the fort top. It is unfortunate to note that most parts of the fort could not stand the tests of time and is in ruins now.