Places
of Interest: Ajmer - Pushkar - Merta - Nagaur. Popular Places to
See: Ajmer,
Nagaur &Pushkar
Located in the heart of Rajasthan, Ajmer
is a small town with a very interesting past. Raja Ajai Pal Chauhan founded
it in the 7th century A.D.. 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 toward 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 hen 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. But Ajmer saw some more turbulence 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 a
legacy that still lives in the excellent educational institution, the colonial
bungalows, the club and the old railway quarters.
Places to Visit
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. This has been so for
centuries now. Even Akbar walked to the Dargah all the way from Agara. 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. While you're
around the dargah, don't miss seeing the beautiful Adhaidin-ka- Jonpra with
its ornate calligraphic inscriptions. There are other areas of interest
like the Taragarh Fort and the Ana Sagar lake with its marble
pavillions.
Just as the Muslim revere the Dargah here, the Hindus accord the same sanctity
to the holy town of Pushkar. Located jus 11 kms from Ajmer, the holy
lake of Pushkar is believed to have been created by Lord Brahma himself.
It is as important as Benaras of Puri. Devout Hindus believe that it is
essential to visit Pushkar at least once in their lifetime. No pilgrimage
is considered complete without a dip in the holy Pushkar lake. Pushkar has
as many as 400 temples and 52 Ghats and the only temple in
the country that is dedicated to Brahma is to be found here.
While Pushkar is a haven for the religiously inclined, it is also the venue
of the one of the country's most colorful 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 certainly the right
time to be in Pushkar. 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 colorful market, watch the sunset over the sand dunes, admire
the beautiful clothes of the pilgrims, you can even try wearing the gorgeous
odhmis and turbans.
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 center of the town and is visited by devotees throughout
the year. 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 destination, it is a 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 monuments.
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 for t has some splendid palaces, temples, and palatial mansions, some
of which have been built by Akbar and Shah Jahan. The beautiful Moti Mahal,
Badal Mahal, and Hawa Mahal are superb architectural creations. The walls
of the baradari are adorned with some exquisite frescoes, which are a combination
of Persian and 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 Mahabharata.
Nagaur is also the venue of an annual cattle fair that draws people from
distant places and it is a good idea to combine one's trip to 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
sell and seem out to enjoy themselves.
Take part in the folk dances, listen to music or just sit back and watch
the camel races and the bullfights. You can pick up marble mementoes, miniature
paintings and traditional textiles from this region.
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