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A 7th century Chauhan stronghold, Ajmer is a pilgrimage centre for Muslims though people from all religious backgrounds come to pray at its dargah. The British developed Ajmer as an educational centre and Mayo College, once an exclusive school for boys from royal families, is now among the country's best private schools.

Administrative Setup : The district is divided into four sub-divisions viz., Ajmer, Beawar, Kekri and Kishangarh. The sub-divisions are further divided into six tehsils namely Ajmer, Beawar, Nasirabad, Kekri, Kishangarh and Sarwar and eight panchayat samitis.   

Languages: Rajasthani, Hindi, Urdu, English, Sindhi.

Pushkar:A pilgrimage centre with the only temple in India dedicated to Brahma, the Creator, Pushkar is the venue of an annual camel fair.

Pushkar - Introduction :Pushkar is a sacred town for the Hindus, situated 11 kms. to the North-West of Ajmer. The charm of this sleepy, lakeside settlement so captivated the great Indian poet, Kalidas, that it found a place in his classic, Abhigyan Sakuntalam. The Great Hindu epics of Mahabharat and Ramayana make references to this religious place regarded to be Adi Tiratha. Evidence points to its having existed during the fourth century B.C. lake in the inhospitable surroundings of a desert is no less than a miracle.The legend about the Creator God, Bramha describes the creation of this lake. When the demon Vajra Nabha killed Brahma's children, he in turn struck him with his weapon, a lotus flower. Vajra Nabha died with the impact, and the petals of the lotus fell at three places. One of them is Pushkar, where a lake sprung into being. Brahma is supposed to have performed sacrifice at this lake on Kartik Purnima (the full moon day of the Kartik month), hallowing the place. Sacred to Brahma, Pushkar boasts of its temple dedicated to him, which is the only one of its kind in the world. A dip in the waters of Pushkar and worship at his temple ensure salvation. So thousands flock to Pushkar to observe the ritual on kartik Purnima, or on any of the four days preceding it.Pushkar is among the five dhams or pilgrimages that are held in high esteem by Hindus, the others being Badrinath, Puri, Rameswaram, and Dwarka. It is said that in battle lord Brahma killed the demon Vajra Nabh with a lotus flower, whose petals floated down to earth and landed in three places in and around Pushkar where lakes sprang up. According to legends, Pushkar Lake was surrounded by 500 temples and 52 palaces (several rajas and maharajas maintained palaces here for pilgrimage) at one point. The Brahma temple is the most important temple here and is, in fact, the only Brahma temple of India. It is interesting to note that Brahma is not worshipped, even though he is one of the Holy Trinity of Hinduism. Brahma, it is said, had descended on earth to perform a Yajna (fire-sacrifice). His wife Savitri was not with him at that time and the Yajna would be incomplete without her. Therefore, Brahma married a local girl and sat down for the Yajna. Meanwhile Savitri landed on earth and, upon finding this new bride sitting next to Brahma, cursed him that he would never be worshipped anywhere else on earth.

THE DARGAH OF GARIB NAWAZ - KHWAJA MOIN-UD-DIN CHISHTI :The dargah of Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti is located at the foot of a small and barren hill in Ajmer. It is said that Mughal Emperor Humayun built the shrine and the Buland Darwaza, carved in silver, was built by the Nizam of Hyderabad. The tomb of Khwaja is surrounded by a silver railing and there is a separate women's praying room, said to be built by Chimni Begum - the daughter of Shahjahan. There are two huge cauldrons in the courtyard of the dargah with a capital of 2,240 kg and 4,480 kg respectively. Kheer (sweet porridge) and Khichri (savoury porridge) are cooked in these cauldrons to be distributed among the devotees. An interesting custom related to the cauldron is the looting of the kheer. Akbar Masjid and Shah Jahan Masjid are also inside the same complex. The Sultans and the Moghul rulers, including the founder of the dynasty, Babar, used to visit Ajmer mostly driven by the desire for conquest of the ``Keystone to Rajputana'' (Ajmer, as referred by historian Col. James Todd). In the case of Akbar it had been always a pilgrim's progress. Perhaps initially Akbar too had similar notions about the place but, according to Abdul Fazal, it changed in 1562.One night while returning from a hunt, Emperor Akbar heard minstrels singing the praise of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer. He was in Mandhakar village near Fatehpur when this happened and almost immediately he decided to proceed to Ajmer.Emperor Akbar reached Ajmer on January 14, 1562 with a small retinue and, going straight, prayed at the Dargah, distributed alms and ordered that the ladies of his palace be also brought to the Dargah to pay homage to the saint. That was the beginning of Akbar's annual pilgrimage. On special occasions Akbar would take a pledge to go on foot to Ajmer Dargah. There is another mosque in the courtyard built by Shahjhan.Urs is the most significant event here which is usually held in the month of Rajab from first to sixth day. A colourful fair that springs up during this time is the major attraction.The dargah of Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti is located at the foot of a small and barren hill in Ajmer. It is said that Mughal Emperor Humayun built the shrine and the Buland Darwaza, carved in silver, was built by the Nizam of Hyderabad. The tomb of Khwaja is surrounded by a silver railing and there is a separate women's praying room, said to be built by Chimni Begum - the daughter of Shahjahan. There are two simultaneous entrances to the Shrine through the Begami Daalaan. The doors of both of them are mounted with heavy silverplate carved in ornamental details. The tomb is of white marble inlaid with pieces of precious stones and is daily bestrewed with sandal-paste and Itars (perfumes). It is always covered with very costly ‘ghilaafs’ (coverings made of velvet and silk) embroidered with pleasing gold and silver tracings.It was on such an occasion in 1568 when he took a vow that he would visit Dargah on foot if he could conquer Chittor (now Chittorgarh). After the victory, Akbar started from Chittor to Ajmer on foot, walking stage by stage on burning sand. Reaching Ajmer, he went straight to the shrine, circumambulated and distributed presents and alms. It was at that time that Akbar ordered construction of the huge cauldron located south-west of the Buland Darwaza of the Dargah. He celebrated the New Year feast in Ajmer and left for Agra on March 14.It is considered as India’s most important pilgrimage center for people from all faiths. It is the splendid tomb of the Sufi saint Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti more popularly known as Khawaja Saheb or Khawaja Sharif.The shrine is next only to Mecca or Medina for the Muslims of south Asia. Akbar used to make a pilgrimage to the Dargah from Agra once a year.The two massive cauldrons in the courtyard are of particular interest and on the right side of the courtyard ins the Akbari Masjid built in white marble.

Degs: On either side of the second Baland Darwaza in front of Saham Chiragh (courtyard lamp), there are two huge Degs (cauldrons for cooking food) fixed into solid masonry in which a palatable mixture of rice sugar, ghee (butter) and dried fruits is cooked for distribution to the public as tabarruk.The circumference at the edge of the larger cauldron is 10-1/4 feet. It cooks 70 mounds of rice, while the smaller Deg takes 28 mounds. One of them was presented by Akbar in 1567 A.D. The princes or the well-to-do pilgrims order these Degs to be cooked generally during the Urs period

Mahfilkhana:On the west of the Saham Chiragh stands the magnificent building of Samakhana or Mahfilkhana (auditorium with darbar hall) which was built by Nawab Bashir-ud-Dowla Sir Asmaan Jah of Hyderabad Deccan in 1888-91 A.D. This spacious hall is 46 feet square with a gallery of 14 feet running around it.It is used for 6 days only during the annual Urs for religious ‘Mahfils’ in which Qawwali is the chief item of programme commencing at 11 P.M. and ending with Fatiha (a relifious ceremony) in the early hours of morning at 4 A.M. 

Mazar of Bibi Hafiz Jamal :The Mazar of Bibi Hafiz Jamal, daughter of Khawaja Sahib, is situated to the south of the Shrine. There is a small dome with a kalas on top of it. The doors of this tomb are plated with silver.The two enclosures situated just outside the southern gate of the Shrine adjacent to the tomb of Bibi-Hafiz Jamal bear the graves of some of the early descendants. The Holy Quran is recited by the devotees especially by ladies in these enclosures and the reward of this virtuous action is offered to the noble soul of Hazrat Khawaja Saheb

NASIYAN JAIN TEMPLE:Nasiyan temple is an ornate 19th century Jain temple. It has a splendid double-storied hall, with a rich display of gilded figures from Jain mythology. Visiting it is a fascinating experience, You can see how Jain temple architecture has evolved over the centuries from the medieval temples of Dilwara and Ranakpur. Nasiyan Jain Temple is located on Prithvi Raj Road and devoted to the first Jain Tirthankara, Rishabhdeoji. The temple is greatly revered by the Digambar sect of Jains. There is a museum alongside the temple. Jains constitute for almost 25% of Ajmer's population, therefore, the temple attracts good crowd. Temple construction started in 1864 and opened to the public in 1895.

AKBAR PALACE :This sandstone palace lies in the heart of the old walled city. It has a beautiful gateway, through which you can see the window where the Mughal Emperors used to sit and listen to public petitions. Today it houses the Government Museum, which has an interesting collection of 6th and 7th century sculptures, including a fine black marble image of Kali and a 13th century Jain tirthankara carving.

Shahjhan’s Mosque:In the corner of the inner court of the Dargah, is a magnificent building in white marble with a long (30.5m) and narrow court having low arcade and delicate carvings with trellis-work.It is the most marvelous of all the sanctums within the sanctuary of the Dargah.

Adhai-din-ka-jhonpra :(two-and-a-half-day shelter) is considered as the first important Islamic structure to be built in India. According to the legends, Arhai-din-ka-Jhonpra was a Sanskrit College initially and Mohammed Ghori converted the college into a mosque within two and a half days, hence the name. According to another legend, the structure is named after a festival, which carried on for two and a half days. The monument has seven arched walls with Islamic calligraphy, though most of it now remains in ruins.This was originally a Sanskrit college, which was destroyed and converted into a mosque by Sultan Qutbuddin Aibak of Delhi in 1198. According to Cunningham, an eminent 19th -century archeologist, "For gorgeous prodigality of ornament, richness of tracery, delicate sharpness of finish this may be one of the noblest buildings the world has produced." Its ornately carved sandstone facade is a masterpiece, and it is interesting to see how the original Hindu columns were re-erected in triple layers during its reconstruction in 1198.The name Arhai Din kA jhonpra literally means "The Hut of the Two-and-a Half Days".Referring to the two-and-a-days in which it was hurriedly demolished and built, or perhaps to the two-and-a-half-days that fakirs (mendicants) would gather here during an urs in the 18th century.

The Museum:Once the royal residence of Emperor Akbar ,the museum houses a rich repository of the Mughal and Rajput armour and exquisite sculptures.  

Anasagar Lake:An artificial lake. On one embankment are the marble baradaries (pavilions) erected by Shah Jahan in 1637 with a park (Daulat Bagh) on the other side. A drive up to the Govt Circuit House situated on a hilltop is ideal to view the lake and the marble pavilion.

Mayo College:One of the India’s best public schools, located in the south-east of the Ana Sagar, has now been converted to the Circuit House. The lake and the cenotaph and the shrine of the Hindu reformer Swami Dayanand, founder of the Arya Samaj movement in India, can be viewed from here.

JAGAT PITA SHRI BRAHMA MANDIR:Pushkar boasts temples, though few are as ancient as you might expect at such an important pilgrimage site, since many were destroyed by Aurangzeb, a Mogul ruler and subsequently rebuilt. The most famous is the Brahma Temple, said to be the only temple in the world dedicated to this deity. It stands on a high plinth with the Marble steps leading up to it. A silver turtle is set on the floor facing the Sanctum-Sanctorum or Girbha-griha. Around the turtle the Marble floor is inset with hundreds of silver coins. Coins engraved with donors names are also embedded in the walls. Peacocks adorn the temple walls as they are supposed to be the vehicle of lord Brahma's consort Saraswati. A small image of the milkmaid Gayatri, flanks the four-faced image of lord Brahma and is called Chaumurti The sanctuary has silver doors inside a carved marble gateway.

SAVITRI TEMPLE: The one-hour trek up to the hilltop Savitri Temple overlooking the lake is best made early in the morning; the view is magical.

VARAH TEMPLE:Originally built in the 12th century, Varah Temple was, like many others, destroyed by the bigoted Emperor Aurangzeb (who , it is said , was particularly upset by the huge idol here of Varah, the god with the body of a man and the head of the boar.) Reconstructed BY Raja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur in 1727, the temple has an interesting and richly ornamented image house.

MAHADEVA TEMPLE:A Beautiful temple built in the 19th century, it was described by a British traveler of the time as "by far the most remarkable, for the elegance of its structure and the nature of its ornaments, of all the temples Pushkar boasts of." It is also noteworthy for its white marble Mahadeva image, with its five faces (and its traditional tufts of hair).

RAMAVAIKUNTH TEMPLE:One of Pushkar's largest and most intricate temples, the Ramavaikunth Temple was built in the 1920's and has beautifully sculpted images of no less than 361 different deities. The ornate outer gopuram over the entrance is said to have been built by a team of masons specially brought here from south India.

The Holy Lake and its many Ghats:Many Ghats run down to the Holy Lake where pilgrims are constantly bathing in the holy waters. Joining people at the ghats has to be with some respect for their culture and privacy. And for this reason, removing shoes before approaching the ghats, no smoking and restraining from photographing bathing people is well avoided. The Pilgrims here are sensitive about comments by non-Hindus. The famed waters of the Pushkar lake wash away the sins of a lifetime. The mystical water is also believed to cure skin diseases, making Pushkar the Lourdes of the East.

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Major Crops and Their Production - :Production: 1999-00 (Tonnes) Bajra 5,922, Wheat 41,161, Gram 12,014, Barley 17,582, Groundnut 1,782, Jowar 21,196,
Maize 27,474, Paddy 87, Red chillies 1,243, Sesamum 417

Mineral Production :Main minerals of the area are felspar, quartz, asbestos, soapstone, magnesitie, calcite, limestone, mica, emerald, marble, granite, and masonary stone. Fairly good reserves of barytes fluorit, wolastonite and vermiculite have also been found. Production: 1999-00 (Tonnes) : Limestone 17,77,000, Limestone burning 11,672, Masonary stone 1,50,400, Marble I Block 13,453, Marble II Khanda 1,44,455, Quarty 23,324, Brick earth 40,285, Jhanjhar Kankar 11,983, Asbestos 2,519, Felspar 54,290, Magnesite 8, Mica 10, Mica (Waste and scrap) 146

Infrastructure:-

Electricity :Power to the district is supplied from Jaipur, Kota and Jodhpur by 132 KV lines and distributed to towns and villages by 33 KV lines. The total installed capacity is 139.68 MVA. All the villages numbering 985 were electrified as on March 2000.

Water:Water received from Sabarmati and Saraswati rivers is fresh and potable and is used for drinking purpose in Ajmer. There are five non-perennial rivers in the district but they remain dry except during the monsoon season. Thus, water in the district is made available through wells.

Educational Facilities/Institutions (Nos): Primary Schools 1,467 - Upper Primary Schools 584 - Higher Secondary and Secondary Schools 266 - Post Graduate - and Degree Schools 22, Professional Institutions 9, University 1, Polytechnic Colleges 2, ITI 4

Industrial Scenario : No. of Large and Medium Scale Units: 23 - No. of Small Scale Units: 9,192 - No of Industrial Areas: 8 - Beawar,Bijay Nagar,Geggal, Ajmer Makhupura, Ajmer,Kekri, Kishangarh,M.T.C. Ajmer,Parbatpura, Ajmer

Main industries in the district are:Asbestos cement pipes, Cast iron foundary, Cotton and synthetic yarn, Cement, Dairy udyog, Electronics, Flour mills, Machinery and machine tools, Masala, Mineral based units, Machine based units, Machine tools and accessories, Pre-stressed concrete pipes, Plastic products, Textiles, Wooden, furniture,

Export Items: Emery stone, Floor mill, HMT machine, Rose

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Road :Transport : National Highway Number 8 running between Delhi and Mumbai passes through the district and covers a distance of about 147 kms., and the route also provides direct road link from Beawar to Delhi via Jaipur and Ajmer and to Ahmedabad via Udaipur. The length of the State highway roads is 340 kms., major district road is 170 kms., and other roads are 797 kms. The total road length was 2901 kms., as on 31 March 2000.

Rail :Transport: Delhi-Ahmedabad (via Ringas) railway line is a meter gauge line passing through the Ajmer district. Ajmer, Kishangarh, Beawar towns of the district are the important stations of thei meter gauge line. Conversion of this meter gauge into broad gauge is under progress in the district. The distict is also directly linked with Ratlam and Indore by meter gauge. Important railway stations on Ajmer-Khandwa rail line are Ajmer, Nasirabad and Bijaynagar. The total railway lines is 2261 Kms.

Air :Transport: Air transport facility is not available in the district. The nearest airport is Jaipur at a distance of 138 kms.

Communication Facilities (Nos) :Post offices 430 - Telegraph offices 61 - Telephone exchanges 81 - Public call offices 989

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Gangaur Fair:This festival honours Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. The women gracefully balancing brass pitchers on their heads, wend their way to the temple of Gauri (Parvati) for the ceremonial bath of the diety. Idols of Shiva and Parvati are taken out in a procession accompanied by caparisoned horses and elephants.

Camel Fair: Each year, upto 200,000 people flock to Pushkar for the Camel fair, bringing with them some 50,000 camels and cattle for saveral days of pilgrimage, live stock trading, horse dealing and spirited festivities. There are camel races, street theatre and a variety of stalls selling interesting handicrafts. The place becomes a flurry of activity with musicians, mystics, comedians, tourists, traders, animals and devotees all converging on the small town. A good camel can fetch tens of thousands of rupees and is a vital source of income for many villagers. This fair is the only one of its kind in the world and has featured in numerous magazines, travel shows and films.

Pushkar Fair From (16.11.2002 To 19.11.2002):In the month of Kartik each year, a staggering number of camels amble their way across the golden sands of Rajasthan to congregate at Pushkar for the week-long fair devoted to them. Coming in from all directions, their masters astride them, they flick the sand at every step with casuals' ease. The horses that march to this site find the sand-trot an exacting exercise. Numerous cows and sheep all come to the animal fair. Completing the scene are thousands of men, women and children, come with their beasts, suddenly inhabiting the barren plain. Providing a backdrop, the camels in the distance camouflaged, scarcely discernable.The contrast to the blank desert is the riot of Colours - the large gaudy turbans of the native males arriving here to trade their animals or to set up the stalls to cater to the booming captive market, and the loud hues of the pleated ghagaras (ankle-length skirts) of the belles bangled by the armful, bejewelled from head to toe- adding charm and zest to the massive affair. At Mela time, Pushkar is Rajasthan under one roof, a complete exhibition of its culture.Over the first five days of the fair, camels, horses, cows, goats, and sheep are sold and purchased. There may be protracted negotiations, or sometimes, a quick transaction. Hard bargains are struck, the vendor extolling the long list of virtues of his camel to the prospective buyer. Womenfolk seem to have little interest in the business of animals. They are more attracted to the glittering wares in the stalls under awnings. The large variety of intricate silver ornaments - hairpins and chains, nose rings and neckbands, cummerbunds, anklets, toe rings and the ivory bangles worn from wrist to shoulder - would send any woman on a buying spree.In Rajasthan even the camels are fashion-conscious, and that too to a high degree, for they are soon to be part of a beauty parade! The proud owner of a newly acquired camel promptly goes to the stalls which the women bypassed.

The culmination : Kartik Purnima, the day of ritual oblation , is also the closing day of the world's most colourful festivals. Bathing begins at dawn. There is quite a scramble for getting a place on the bathing ghats. The famed waters of the Pushkar Lake wash away the sins of a lifetime. The mystical water is also believed to cure skin diseases, making Pushkar the Lourdes of the east. After bathing, the devotees line up in long colourful queues to take their turn to worship the Creator, Brahma.Romance touches Pushkar on the full moon night, as tiny leaf boats, each carrying flowers and an oil lamp, are set afloat on the placid lake. Twinkling like thousands of stars, their flickering flames reflected in the water, they wink back at the innumerable stars on the desert sky. The next day dawns for the exodus. Long caravans hump their way along, taking many camels to their new homes. Little does a camel know which master it will serve after the coming Pushkar Mela.

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CLIMATE

Climate and Rainfall: The maximum temperature was recorded at 46.0 degrees celsius. The normal annual rainfall is 60.18 cms.

Climate :Mean Max. Mean Min.

Summer :38.1° C 27.7° C

Winter: 23.3° C 05.5° C

Rainfall: 38 to 51 cms.

Summer :Light Tropical

Winter : Woolen

Best Season : July-March

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Area : 55.76 sq.km.

Altitude : 486 meters.

Location : Ajmer district is situated in the center of Rajasthan and is surrounded by Jaipur and Tonk districts in the east and Pali in the west. Nagaur district touches its north boundaries while Bhilwara district is in the south.

Latitude 26.27 N

Longitude 74.42 E

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Ajmer derives its name from Ajaya Meru (the invincible hill) founded in the 7th century by Raja Ajai Pal Chauhan is situated in a valley surrounded by Araveli hills. The Chauhans dominated till the end of 12th century when Prithvi Raj Chauhan was defeated at the hands of Mohammed Gauri. Since then , Ajmer became home of many dynasties .which left behind indelible marks of their culture and traditions. Sir Thomas Roe, the ambassador of King James 1 of England, presented his credentials to Jahangir herein 1616. From 1818 onwards it came under the domain of British Empire. Ajmer was the seat of administration for the Chauhans till Prithviraj was defeated in 1193 A.D by Mohammed Ghori. It then became a part of the Delhi Sultanate. However, Rana Kumbha of Mewar and Raja Maldeo again established Rajput rule over Ajmer. Since then, Ajmer became home to many dynasties, which came and left leaving behind indelible marks of their culture and traditions on the city’s history, converting it to an amalgam of various cultures and blend of Hinduism and Islam. A small and secular town with the history going far back in the time, this in short is Ajmer. Ajmer is a place where Garib Nawaz (protector of the poor), Sufi Saint, Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti laid himself to the eternal rest in 1236 a.d.

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