At a glance Nestled amidst the Aravalli Range, Ajmer sprawls along Taragarh Hill in central Rajasthan. To its north-west lies the Ana Sagar Lake and beyond it the famous cattle fair town of Pushkar About the city The city of Ajmer is famous as a pilgrimage site. It houses the Dargah, or tomb, of the popular 13th-century Sufi Saint, Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisti. Millions of pilgrims from all over the world throng Ajmer to attend the death anniversary of this great saint every year. The city also boasts of a number of monuments dating back to the Mughal era. The city is also well known for its traditional handicrafts. The most important tourist spot in Ajmer is the Dargah or tomb of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. The Ana Sagar Lake and Daulat Bagh Garden are other important sites in the city. Ajmer also boasts of an imposing fort built by Akbar, which also houses the Government Museum within it. The Nasiyan (Red) Jain Temple built in the 19th century is also worth paying a visit to. Ajmer's closest association is with the Dargah Sharif of Khwaja Sahib, the final resting place of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, whose disciples included the Mughal emperors. The town is teeming with other interesting sights as well. Two days are adequate, and an active one day feasible for seeing all this. Other sights Walk 5 mins down a congested alley to the left of the dargah entrance and see the exquisitely carved 12th century Adhai- Din-ka-Jhonpra, built by Qutubuddin Aibak and completed by Iltutmish. Its name literally translates as the two-and-a-half-day-shed, and it is a relic of the largest mosque in the country, ordered by the invader Muhammad Ghori to be readied in this short time. A later example of Mughal architecture is the white structure of Abdullah Khan's Tomb. There are also charming picnic spots in the vicinity. These include Ana Sagar (open 8 am-5 pm), an artificial lake; Ajaipal, where the founder of Ajmer retired after his reign; and Foy Sagar, another artificial lake outside town. Visitors are allowed to see the museum on the premises of Mayo College, on request. Also on the tourist's itinerary is the unbelievably ornate Golden Hall of Jain Nasiyan Temple, located near Ana Sagar. It is replete with gold models of the life of Tirthankara Adinath. The Taragarh Fort (open all day) is 5 km from town. How to reach By Road Ajmer is accessible by road from both Jaipur and Delhi. It is a nine-hour road-trip from Delhi to Ajmer. By Rail Ajmer is also accessible by train, as it is located on the main Delhi-Jaipur-Ahmedabad-Mumbai line. Most of the trains on this route stop at Ajmer. There is a daily Shatabdi Express from Delhi to Ajmer, except on Sundays. Air: Nearest airport: Sanganer Airport, Jaipur (143 km/ 2 1/2 hrs). Getting Around: In the north-west of Ajmer lies the Ana Sagar Lake, adjacent to the road leading to Pushkar (11 km). The railway station is at the exact centre, the Tourism Infor-mation Centre right opposite it and the Dargah of Khwaja Chishti about a kilo-metre to the west. The Adhai-Din-ka-Jhonpra is a 5-min walk from the dargah. The Nasiyan Jain Temple is about a kilometre north of the railway station, down Prithviraj Marg. The Taragarh Fort lies to the south-west, about 5 km from town. Autos charge about Rs 200 for a 2-hr trip to the fort and back; taxis about Rs 300. Distances Best Seasons The winter season is best, but Ajmer can be charming during the rains. Summer is best avoided. Places in and around Dargah of Garib Nawaz Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti The Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti lies in eternal rest at this dargah (mausoleum) located at the foot of a barren hill in Ajmer. Humayun constructed the shrine, and the Nizam of Hyderabad built the carved silver Buland Darwaza (Gateway to the Dargah). A silver railing surrounds the tomb of the saint. There is a separate prayer room for women, which is said to have been constructed by Shahjahan's daughter Chimni Begum. The dargah also has within it the tomb of the saint's daughter - Bibi Hafiz Jama. In the courtyard of the dargah are two immense cauldrons with a capacity of 2,240 kilograms and 4,480 kilograms respectively. During the Urs, kheer (a sweet porridge) and khichdi (a savoury porridge) are cooked in these cauldrons and distributed among the pilgrims. An interesting ritual related to the cauldrons is the looting of the kheer. Inside the complex, there are also the Akbar Masjid and the Shahjahan Masjid. It is said that Akbar used to visit this dargah every year. Tara Garh Fort Tara Garh Fort,Places to See in Ajmer, Ajmer Tourist Attractions, Ajmer Pushkar, Dargah of Garib Nawaz Built in 1100 AD by Ajayapal Chauhan on a hilltop, the Tara Garh Fort gives a birds-eye view of Ajmer city. It is also known as the Star Fort. A winding uphill path leads to this rectangular fort whose walls are approximately four-and-a-half-meter thick. Although the Fort is today in ruins, it is of historical interest as it is the first fort to have been built on a hill in India. With the construction of this Fort, the hill was believed to have become invincible. Hence, Ajayapal Chauhan named the place as Ajai Meru, which means an invincible hill. On the way up to the Tara Garh Fort is a graveyard of Muslim martyrs who died while storming this Fort. Arhai-din-ka-Jhonpra Arhai-din-ka-Jhonpra (two-and-a-half-day shelter) is situated on the outskirts of Ajmer. It is said that the present mosque here was once a Sanskrit college. But in 1198 AD, the invader Mohammed Ghori converted the building into a mosque within two-and-a-half days. Hence the name. But some believe that it is named after a festival which carried on for two-and-a-half days. Today the mosque, which has seven arched walls with Islamic calligraphy, stands in ruins, abandoned. Ana Sagar Lake,Places to See in Ajmer, Ajmer Tourist Attractions, Ajmer Pushkar, Dargah of Garib Nawaz Ana Sagar Lake This lovely lake was constructed by King Anaji (1135-1150 AD), the grandfather of Prithvi Raj Chauhan, at a picturesque site located to the north of Ajmer. Next to the lake are the Daulat Bagh Gardens set up by Emperor Jehangir. Shahjahan added the Baradari (marble pavilion) to the lake. An embankment built between two hillocks-Bajrang Garh and Khobra Bherun (named after the Hindu temples built on them) forms the Lake. Nasiyan Jain Temple,Places to See in Ajmer, Ajmer Tourist Attractions, Ajmer Pushkar, Dargah of Garib Nawaz Nasiyan Jain Temple Greatly revered by the Digambar sect of the Jains, the Red (Nasiyan) Temple located on Prithvi Raj Road is devoted to the first Jain Tirthankar Rishabhadeoji. It also has a museum alongside the temple. It is notable that Ajmer has a large population of Jains, who constitute almost 25 per cent of the town's total population. The construction of the Temple was started in 1864 AD and it was opened to public in 1895 AD. The first floor or the Swarna Nagari (city of gold) hall houses an astonishing reconstruction of the Jain concept of the Universe, with gold plated replicas of every Jain Temple in India. It is estimated that over 1,000 kilogram of gold have been used here. The hall has depictions of scenes from Jain mythology, and of the ancient towns of Ayodhya and Prayag. The inner sanctum has silver balls suspended from its ceiling and is surmounted by a vimana (spire). Akbar's Palace/ Daulat Khana/ Government Museum Located near the east wall of the city, the Daulat Khana was once the palace of the Emperor Akbar. It has now been converted into a Government Museum. Mayo College,Places to See in Ajmer, Ajmer Tourist Attractions, Ajmer Pushkar, Dargah of Garib Nawaz Mayo College Built in 1873 AD, Mayo College is one of India's finest public schools, and is also another major attraction of Ajmer. It was founded to provide liberal education to young Indian princes on the lines of the English public schools. Earlier, it was known as the 'Eton' of the Rajput kingdom. Nearby Sites Arhai-din-ka-Jhonpra mosque is located on the outskirts of Ajmer. Three kilometers beyond the mosque on a steep hill is the Tara Garh Fort which offers a breathtaking view of Ajmer city. The small town of Kishangarh is located 27 kilometres from Ajmer and is famous for its traditional miniature paintings. Roopangarh Fort is 52 kilometres from Ajmer and can be reached via Kishangarh.