Tuesday, 21 May 2013


About Dargah of Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti :

Moinuddin Chishti Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" (غریب نواز), he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. Moinuddin Chishti introduced and established the order in the subcontinent. The initial spiritual chain or silsila of the Chishti order in India. Sultan-ul-Hind,Moinuddin Chishti was born in 1141 and died in 1236 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" (غریب نواز), he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. Moinuddin Chishti introduced and established the order in the subcontinent. The initial spiritual chain or silsila of the Chishti order in India, comprising Moinuddin Chishti, Bakhtiyar Kaki, Baba Farid and Nizamuddin Auliya (each successive person being the disciple of the previous one), constitutes the great Sufi saints of Indian history.
The Chishtī order was founded by Abu Ishaq Shami (“the Syrian”) in Chisht, some 95 miles east of Herat in present-day western Afghanistan.[5] Moinuddin Chishti established the order in India, in the city of Ajmer in North India.Moinuddin Chishti apparently never wrote down his teachings in the form of a book, nor did his immediate disciples, but the central principles that became characteristics of the Chishtī order in India are based on his teachings and practices. They lay stress on renunciation of material goods; strict regime of self-discipline and personal prayer; participation in Samā' as a legitimate means to spiritual transformation; reliance on either cultivation or unsolicited offerings as means of basic subsistence; independence from rulers and the state, including rejection of monetary and land grants; generosity to others, particularly, through sharing of food and wealth, and tolerance and respect for religious differences.

About Adhai din ka Jhonpra :

Beyond the dargah, on the town outskirts, are the extraordinary ruins of the Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra mosque. According to legend, construction in 1153 took 2½ days. Others say it was named after a festival lasting 2½ days. 
According to legend, construction in 1153 took 2½ days. Others say it was named after a festival lasting 2½ days. It was built as a Sanskrit college, but in 1198 Mohammed of Ghori seized Ajmer and converted the building into a mosque by adding a seven-arched wall covered with Islamic calligraphy in front of the pillared hall.

About Ana Sagar :

This large lake, created in the 12th century by damming the River Luni, is set against a blue-grey hilly spine that merges into its surface. On its bank is a park, the Subash Bagh & Dault Bagh, containing a series of marble pavilions erected in 1637 by Shah Jahan. There are good views towards Ajmer from the hill beside the Dault Bagh, particularly at sunset. It's a popular place for an evening stroll, though you may get quite a lot of attention. Pedalos and motorboats can be hired from the Fun N Joy Boat Club.

Ana Sagar Lake is an artificial lake situated in the city of Ajmer in Rajasthan state in India. It is was built by Anaji Chauhan, the grandfather of Prithvi Raj Chauhan, in 1135 -1150 AD and is named after him. The catchments were built with the help of local populace. The Baradari or pavilions were built by Shahjahan in 1637 and Daulat Bagh Gardens by Jehangir. The lake is spread over 13 Kilometers. There is a Circuit house on a hill near the lake that used to be British Residency. There is an island in the center of the lake which is accessible by boat or water scooter. Boats and water scooters could be hired from the east side of the Dault Bagh. The lake gets dry every summar. The Rajasthan High Court has banned construction in the catchment areas of the lake basins. This is one of the beautiful lake in India.

About Nasiyan (Red) Temple :

This marvellous Jain temple was built in 1865. It's also known as the Golden Temple, due to its amazing display - its double-storey temple hall is filled with a huge golden diorama depicting the Jain concept of the ancient world, with 13 continents and oceans, the intricate golden city of Ayodhya, flying peacock and elephant gondolas, and gilded elephants with many tusks. The hall is decorated with gold, silver and precious stones.
Greatly revered by the Digambar sect of the Jains, the Nasiyan temple is dedicated to Lord Rishabhdev, first of the 24 Tirthankars [religious path makers of the Jains] by Rai Bahadur Seth Moolchand and Nemichand Soni. It is situated on Prithvi Raj Marg in Ajmer, the heart of Rajasthan state in India. The foundation of this magnificent Jain temple was laid on 10 October 1864 and the image of the first Tirthankar Lord Rishabhdev (Adinath), was installed in the Sanctum Sanctorum on 26th May 1865. This work was carried out under the able guidance of the great scholar Pandit Sadasukhdasji of Jaipur. The name of the temple is Siddhkoot Chaityalaya. It is also known as ‘Red Temple’ as it is built of red sand stone or ‘Nasiyan of Seth Moolchand Soni’ signifying the founder’s name. After the Svarna Nagri was added to the temple in 1895 A.D. it popularly began to be called as ‘Sone ka Mandir’ or ‘Soni Mandir’ emphasizing the golden structure as well as the family name. The halls of this temple are adorned with fascinating series of large, gilt wooden figures and delicate paintings that display scenes from Jain scriptures.

About Taragarh :

Taragarh Fort or 'Star Fort' is the most impressive of structures of city of Bundi in Indian state of Rajasthan. A rather ramshackle fort, with its overgrown vegetation, is located around 39 km from Kota. It was constructed in AD 1354 upon a steep hillside. There are three gateways to the fort, well known as Lakshmi Pol, Phuta Darwaza and Gagudi ki Phatak. Most parts of these impressive gateways are now in ruins. During its heyday, Taragarh Fort was renowned for its tunnels crisscrossing the entire hillside. However, these tunnels are now inaccessible for want of proper maps. The largest of its battlements is the 16th century bastion known as the Bhim Burj, on which was once mounted a particularly large cannon called Garbh Gunjam, or 'Thunder from the Womb'.
This erstwhile Chauhan bastion has some huge water reservoirs. These reservoirs were built to store water and supply it to the residents during time of crisis. The reservoirs have been carved out of the rocky base of the fort. Rani Mahal is a small palace within the fort complex, built for the wives and concubines of rulers. The Mahal has, however lost most of its charm as the shine of its spectacular murals and stained glass windows have completely faded away. The fort also has Miran Saheb ki Dargah. He was the governor of the fort and laid down his life in an encounter.
It offers a panoramic view of the city of Bundi situated in Nagpahari of Aravalli ranges.
Taragarh Fort is located atop the Nagpahari Hill in Ajmer. Often considered as the first hill fort of Asia, it is also known as the 'Fort of Ajmer'.  It was constructed at a time when the Aravalli mountain ranges were above the snowlines.

Built by King Ajaypal Chauhan on the pinnacle of Taragarh Hill, overlooking Ajmer, it has the reputation of being one of the oldest hill forts of the world.  It is often called as the 'Star Fort', dating back from the 12th century.

Situated 3 km and a steep 1.5 hours climb beyond the Adhai-din ka Jhonpra Mosque, the fort offers an aerial view of the entire city. Built in the year 1100 A.D by Ajaypal Chauhan, the town's founder, the fort was the site of military activities during Mughal times.

Lakshmi Pol, Phuta Darwaza and Gagudi ki Phatak are the three gateways of the fort. Bhim Burj that acts as a crenellation and support for the canons is amongst the highlights of the fort. The fort also contains many reservoirs,  carved out of the solid rock.  

About Akbari Masjid :

Akbari Masjid, built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1571, is located between the Shahjahani Gate and Buland Darwaza in Dargah Sharif. The mosque which is made out of red sandstone is now Moiniua Usmania Darul-Uloom, which is now an Arabic and Persian school for religious education. Green and white marbles have been used in the construction of this mosque. This shrine was constructed by Emperor Akbar when his prayers seeking an heir to his throne were answered at the Dargah Sharif.
Akbari Masjid, built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1571, is located between the Shahjahani Gate and Buland Darwaza in Dargah Sharif. The mosque which is made out of red sandstone is now Moiniua Usmania Darul-Uloom, which is now an Arabic and Persian school for religious education. Green and white marbles have been used in the construction of this mosque. This shrine was constructed by Emperor Akbar when his prayers seeking an heir to his throne were answered at the Dargah Sharif.

About Ajmer :

Ajmer (Rajasthani: अजमेर, Urdu: اجمير‎)) is the 5th largest city in Rajasthan and is the centre of the eponymous Ajmer District.Ajmer has a population of around 551,360 in its urban agglomeration and 542,580 for the city (2011 census), and is located 135 kilometres (84 mi) west of Jaipur, the state capital, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from Delhi.Ajmer is surrounded by the Aravalli Mountains. It is a pilgrimage centre for the shrine of the Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and is also the base for visiting Pushkar (11 km), an ancient Hindu pilgrimage city, famous for the temple of Brahma.
According to Rajputana Gazetteer, Ajmer was held by Chechi Gurjars until about 700 years ago. Ajmer (Sanskrit Ajayameru) was founded in the late 7th century A.D. by Ajayraj singh Chauhan. Chauhan clan is a branch of Chechi Gurjars. The Chauhan dynasty ruled Ajmer in spite of repeated invasions by Turkic Muslim armies from Central Asia across the north of India. Ajmer was conquered by Muhammad of Ghor, founder of the Delhi Sultanate, in 1193. However, the Chauhan rulers were allowed autonomy upon the payment of a heavy tribute to the conquerors. Ajmer remained subject to Delhi until 1365 when it was captured by the ruler of Mewar. In 1509, control of Ajmer was disputed between the Maharajas of Mewar and Marwar unitil it was conquered by the Marwar in 1532. In 1553, the state was captured by the Hindu Emperor Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, popularly known as Hemu, who was killed in 1556 in the Second Battle of Panipat. The city was conquered by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1559. In the 18th century, control passed to the Marathas. In 1818 the British forced the Marathas to cede the city for 50,000 rupees whereupon it became part of the province of Ajmer-Merwara, which consisted of the districts of Ajmer and Merwara and were physically separated by the territory of the Rajputana Agency. Ajmer-Merwara was directly administered by the British Raj, by a commissioner who was subordinate to the Governor-General's agent for Rajputana. Ajmer-Merwara remained a province of India until 1950, when it became the Ajmer State. Ajmer state became part of Rajasthan state on 1 November 1956.