Ajmer is a city in Rajasthan which showcases the blend of Hindu and Sufi traditions. This is because of the various rulers of both these races succeeding each other after wars and invasions. Ajmer even went to the hands of British from as early as 1818. Ajmer is located on the bank of Ana Sagar Lake and has Aravali hills on the other side.



It is located south from Jaipur and is easily accessible by road from Jaipur and Delhi. By rail, Ajmer has the railway station on the Delhi-Mumbai line. Nearest airport is Jaipur. Taxis and rickshaws can be hired for traveling around within Ajmer. As it is in the Desert state of India, Rajasthan, Ajmer is best visited in the winter months of November to February.

Ajmer is famous for the tomb of the Persian saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Millions of Muslim community people visit this Dargah every year to offer the prayers to the Sufi Saint and to celebrate his death anniversary. Even the Mughal ruler Akbar the Great walked to this dargah starting from Agra. It's a marble construction with the dome covered with gold plates. It is surrounded by Mosques built by the ruler ShahJahan. In the month of Urs, seventh in the Muslim calendar, thousands of Sufi Saints come to the place to get the blessings of the holy saint. It is this time when Ajmer is enlivened which is otherwise a quiet place.

Adhai-din-ka-jhonpra which in English means ?a hut of two and a half days? was a Sanskrit learning school, later turned to a mosque by Ghori. It has calligraphic inscriptions on its walls from the verses of the Quran.

Akbar Fort was built by Akbar as a home for him to stay while he was on a visit to Ajmer. It is located near to the Ajmer Sharif Railway station. When british occupied it, they used it as a store house for their munition and named it ?The Rajputana Arsenal?.

The sculptures of 6th century A.D, The black idol of goddess Kali and the ancient weapons and armory are on display in the Ajmer Fort.

Pushkar Mela or Pushkar Fair is held every year on the bank of the Pushkar lake. The Lake is surrounded on three sides by mountains and the Nag pahad or Snake mountain seperates it from Ajmer. The Pushkar fair is very colorful with the sale of tradional clothes, accessories and leather items. The main attraction of the fair is the cattle race, the camel race and the trade os the cattle, camel and horses. The famous Brahma Tempple, believed to the only one in India is near the Pushkar Lake. On Kartik Purnima or the full moon day of the Kartik month of Hindu Calender, thousands of people from all over India throng the Pushkar lake to have a holy dip in its water.