Ajmer district profile :

Ajmer District is a district of the state of Rajasthan in western India. The city of Ajmer is the district headquarters.

Ajmer District has an area of 8,481 km², and a population of 2,180,526 (2001 census). Three main religions are; Hindu 1,869,044, Muslim 244,341, Jains 47,812. The district is situated in the center of Rajasthan, and is bounded by Nagaur District to the north, Jaipur and Tonk districts to the east, Bhilwara District to the south, and Pali District to the west.

History :

Ajmer is a historical region in central Rajasthan, a central part of a Shakambari Chahamana (Chauhan) kingdom in 11–12th centuries. The region includes a present-day Ajmer district and is bounded on the west by Marwar, on the northeast by Dhundhar, on the southeast by Hadoti, and on the south by Mewar regions.

Under Mughal imperial rule, Ajmer was a central subah (top-level province), roughly most of present Rajasthan, one of the twelve original provinces created by Akbar the Great, bordering Delhi (later Shahjahanbad), Agra (later Akbarabad), Malwa, Gujarat, Thatta (Sindh) and Multan subahs.

The city was founded by Raja Ajaypal Chauhan in the 7th century AD and the city remained as the epicentre of the Chauhan Dynasty till the 12th century AD. The Chauhan dynasty was responsible for the construction of the first hill fort of India, Taragarh, another must visit places in Ajmer. After the defeat of Prithviraj Chauhan by Mohammed Ghori, Ajmer become home to a number of dynasties. The Mughal Sultans particularly liked Ajmer due the presence of the holy Ajmer Sharif Dargah, the most popular tourist place in the city. Ajmer has a rich history and played host to the first meeting between the Mughal King Jahangir and the Ambassador of the Court of King James 1 of England, Sir Thomas Roe in 1616. The city was officially handed over to the British a few centuries later, making Ajmer the only region in Rajputana to be directly controlled by the British East India Company.

Ajmer state :

In 1950, Ajmer state became a "Part C" state, governed by a chief commissioner appointed by the President of India. Haribhau Upadhyaya, a noted Congress leader, was the Chief Minister of Ajmer state from 24 March 1952 to 31 October 1956.

Ajmer state was merged into Rajasthan state on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act(1956) following the acceptance of suggestions by Fazl Ali Commission. Kishangarh sub-division of erstwhile Jaipur district was added to it to form Ajmer district

Ajmer geography :

The eastern portion of the district is generally flat, broken only by gentle undulations. The western parts, from north-west to south-west, are intersected by the Aravalli Range. Many of the valleys in this region are sandy deserts, part of India's Thar Desert, with an occasional oasis of cultivation. Some fertile tracts are also present; among these is the plain on which lies the town of Ajmer. This valley has an artificial lake, and is protected by the massive walls of the Nagpathar range or Serpent rock, which forms a barrier against the sand. The only hills in the district are the Aravalli Range and its offshoots. Ajmer is almost totally devoid of rivers. The Banas River touches the south-eastern boundary of the district so as to irrigate the pargana of Samur. Four small streams—the Sagarmati, Saraswati, Khari and Dai—also intersect the district.

The district is divided into four subdivisions, Ajmer, Beawar, Kekri and Kishangarh, and further subdivided into nine tehsils, Ajmer, Beawar, Bhinai, Sarwar, Pisangan, Tantoti, Nasirabad, Masuda, Kekri, Kishangarh.

Demographics :

According to the 2011 census Ajmer district has a population of 2,581,933. This gives it a ranking of 161st in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 305 inhabitants per square kilometre (790/sq mi) . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 18.48%. Ajmer has a sex ratio of 950 females for every 1000 males and a literacy rate of 70.46%.

Places to Visit :

Of the number of places to visit near Ajmer, Pushkar, which is about 14 km remains as the most popular destination. Pushkar is a sacred spot for Hindus. The only known temple dedicated to Lord Brahma is situated in Pushkar and Hindus visit the city in large numbers during the month of Karthik to take a dip in the holy sarovar. Another tourist place near Ajmer that one can visit is the Lake Foy Sagar, an artificial lake. The lake was built by English Engineer Mr Foy in 1892 AD. The primary objective behind the construction of the lake was to provide famine relief through employment for the locals. The lake offers some breath taking views of the Aravalli range.

Ajmer Sharif Dargah :

This is a Sufi shrine which encloses the ‘maqbara’ (grave) of Garib Nawaz, the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Built in the 13th century, the shrine is popular among people of all faiths who flock here to have their prayers answered. The shrine has three gates – the main gate or the Nizam gate, the Shah Jahan gate erected by the Mughal Emperor and the Buland Darwaza. Another big draw at this holy shrine is the sacred and scrumptious food that is served to devotees. Cooked in giant cauldrons known as ‘degs’, devotees gather in throngs to be blessed by this prasad.

Adhai Din Ka Jhonpda :

The Adhai Din Ka Jhonpda was originally built to function as a Sanskrit college but was later converted into a mosque by Sultan Ghori in 1198 AD. An impressive blend of Indo-Islamic architecture, the structure was further beautified by Sultan Iltutmish in 1213 AD. Legend has it that the mosque is known as Adhai din ka Jhonpda (literally meaning, The Hut of Two and a Half Days) because of a two and half day fair held here during Urs in the 18th century.

Anasagar Lake :

Anasagar Lake is a scenic artificial lake, commissioned and built by Arnoraj Chauhan, son of Ajaypal Chauhan, between 1135 and 1150 AD. Arnoraj was also known as Anaji, which gives the lake its name. Many years later, Mughal Emperor Jahangir added his touch to the lake by laying out the Daulat Bagh Gardens near the lake. Emperor Shah Jahan too, contributed to the expansion by building five pavilions, known as the Baradari, between the garden and the lake.

Mayo college :

Mayo College is one of India’s oldest independent boarding schools. Founded in 1875, and named after Richard Bourke, the 6th Earl of Mayo, Mayo College was set up to provide the scions of India’s princely states with an education similar to that provided by the Eton College in Britain. The college building is one of the finest extant examples of Indo-Saracenic style of architecture.

                        Located in the heart of Rajasthan Ajmer is a small town with a very interesting past and in todays world  growing facets of growth and development in aspects of Culture, Education, state and privately owned Industrial & infrastructure establishments coalesce towards the fascination for trade tourism and investments in the district.