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Located
in the heart of Rajasthan, Ajmer is a small town with
a very interesting past. It was founded in the 7th
century A.D. by Raja Aaji Pal Chauhan. When you visit
Ajmer today, it is difficult to imagine that this
small city was at one time the seat of power of the
Chauhan dynasty. It was from Ajmer that the last Hindu
ruler of Delhi, Prithviraj Chauhan, controlled a major
part of Northern India. The legendary Prithviraj lived
here and became a force to reckon with. His exploits
are related with great wonder and sometimes disbelief.
Few rulers of that time could match the charisma and
heroism of this dynamic ruler. The Chauhans dominated
Ajmer for many years and it was only towards the end
of the 12th century that Prithviraj was killed in
battle with Muhammad Ghori.That changed the history
of this region totally. The importance of Ajmer diminished
with the death of its most valiant ruler and Ajmer
passed under the Delhi Sultanate. From then on, Ajmer
saw many upheavals until Emperor Akbar came to the
throne in 1556 and gave Ajmer the Status of a full
fledged province. He also used Ajmer as a base for
his operations in Rajputana.
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But Ajmer saw some more turbulance when the Mughals, the
Marathas and the British all tried to interfere in the affairs
of this province. However from 1818 AD onwards, the British
Empire gained full control here and it remained so until
India's independence. The British left behind bungalows,
the club and the old railway quarters. Today Ajmer is more
important as the final resting place of the great sufi saint
Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Muslims from all over the world
revere the Dargah Sharif, Where the saint lies buried. The
has been so for centuries now. Even Akbar walked to the
Dargah all the way from Agra.
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Pushkar
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Every year during the Urs lakhs of
Muslim devotees gather here to pay homage to the Garib Nawaz
the protector of the poor. If you want to see an altogether
different side of this sleepy little town then make sure
you're here during the annual Urs. This town where very
little activity seems to be going on on normal days, suddenly
turns into a bustling lively place.
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While you're around the Dargah, Don't miss seeing the beautiful
Adhai din-Ka-Jhonpra with its ornate calligraphic inscriptions.
There are other areas of interest like the Taragrh Fort
and the Ana-sagar lake with its marble pavilions. Just as
the Muslim revere the Dargah here, the Hindus accord the
same sanctity to the holy town of Pushkar. Located just
11 km from Ajmer, the holy lake of puskhar is believed to
have been created by lord Brahma himself. It is as important
as Benaras or Puri. Devout Hindus believe that it is essential
to visit Pushkar at least once in their lifetime. While
Pushkar is a haven for the religiously inclined it is also
the venue of one of the country most colouful cattle fairs
the pushkar fair. This annual fair is an unforgettable event
when the entire little town is taken over by lakhs of animals
and visitors. This is certanily the right time to be in
puskhar. Just relax and let yourself go, you'll be carried
away by the heady exuberance that is so much a part of the
mela. Ride camels, shop at the colourful market ,watch the
sunset over the sand dunes, admire the beautiful clothes
of the pilgrims you can even try wearing the gorgeous odhnis
and turbans.
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Adhai-Din-Ka-Jhonpra
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Do what you will, Pushkar Fair is
a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you will want to repeat.
The little 16th century town of Merta has much to offer
by way of historicity. Drive around this fortified town
and see some of the ruins that go back several centuries.
The Famous temple of Charbhuja is located in the centre
of the town and is visted by devotees throughout the year.
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The saint poetess Meera Bai was also
associated with this temple. Another famous shrine is the
mosque erected by Emperor Aurangzeb on the ruins of a Shiva
temple. It is an imposing edifice, as are the various Hindu
shrines surrounding it .A lake named after the founder Rao
Duda, and called Dudasagar, still survives. Merta is not
your usual run of the mill tourist destinationm it is quiet
town that is to be visited more for its unspoilt small town
charm than for the conventional tourist attractions of bigger
cities. Nagaur, on the other hand is a small town but with
numerous fascinating mounuments. The Mughal Emperor Shah
Jahan granted this town to Raja Amar Singh and the focal
point here is the fort itself. Now painstakingly restored.
the fort has some splendid palaces,temples and palatial
mansions some of which have been built by Akbar and Shah
Jahan.
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The Beautiful Moti Mahal, Badal Mahal
and Hawa Mahal are superb architectural creations. The walls
of the adorned with some exquisite frescoes which are a
combination of Persian an Nagaur Styles.Some more splendid
murals can be seen on the walls of the main temples here.
These paintings depict various episodes from the Ramayan
and the Mahabharat Nagaur with the Fair. Though not as well
attended as the Pushkar Fair it is still interesting to
join the simple village folk, dressed in their best as they
buy and out
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Black
Marble Deity
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enjoy themselves. Take part in the folk dances, listen to
music or just sit back and watch the camel races and the bull
fights. You can pick up marble momentoes miniature paintings
and traditional textiles from this region. |
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