{{Cleanup|date=July 2006}}
{{Infobox Indian Jurisdiction |
native_name=Ajmer |
type=city |
latd = 26.27|longd=74.42|
locator_position=right|
state_name=Rajasthan |
district= [[Ajmer District|Ajmer]]|
leader_title= |
leader_name= |
altitude=486 |
population_as_of = 2005 |
population_total = 500000 |
area_telephone= +0145 |
postal_code= 3050 xx |
vehicle_code_range= RJ01|
footnotes = | }}
'''Ajmer''' {{audio|Ajmer.ogg|pronunciation}} ([[Hindi]]: अजमेर {{IPA|/ədʒmeːr/}}) is a city in [[Ajmer District]] in [[India]]'s [[Rajasthan]] [[states and territories of India|state]]. Ajmer is a very beautiful city, since it is surrounded by the mountain by all sides. You can run your eyes through 360 degrees and you will find the spectacular Aravali Mountains. Ajmer, also known as Ajaymeru, was the city which was ruled by Prithviraj Chauhan. Its population was approximately 500,000 in 2001. The city gives its name to a district, and also to a former province of [[British Raj|British India]] called [[Ajmer-Merwara]], which, after India's independence, became the state of Ajmer until November 1, 1956, when it was merged into Rajasthan state.

== Geography ==
It is situated in 26° 27, N. lat. and 74° 44, E. long., on the lower slopes of Taragarh hill, in the [[Aravalli Range]]. To the north of the city is a large artificial lake, called [[Anasagar]], adorned with a marble structure called Baradari.

The city is well laid out with wide streets and handsome houses. Ajmer is at an important railway junction. The city is a trade center and has cotton mills and railroad shops. Manufactures include wool textiles, hosiery, shoes, soap, and pharmaceuticals.
== History ==

Ajmer (Ajaya-meru in Sanskrit) was founded in the tenth century CE by Raja Ajay Pal [[Chauhan]]. He established the Chauhan dynasty which continued to rule the country while repeated waves of [[Muslim]] invasion swept across [[India]]. Ajmer was conquered by [[Muhammad of Ghor]], founder of the [[Delhi Sultanate]], in [[1193]]. Its internal government, however, was handed over to the Chauhan rulers upon the payment of a heavy tribute to the conquerors. Ajmer then remained feudatory to Delhi until [[1365]], when it was captured by the ruler of [[Mewar]]. In [[1509]] Ajmer became a source of contention between the maharajas of Mewar and [[Marwar]], and was ultimately conquered by the Marwar ruler in [[1532]]. Ajmer was lost to the Mughal emperor Akbar in [[1559]]. It continued to be in the hands of the Mughals, with occasional revolts, till [[1770]], when it was ceded to the [[Maratha]]s. From that time up to [[1818]] Ajmer was the scene of an ongoing struggle, being seized at different times by the Mewar and the Marwar maharajas, from whom it was often retaken by the Marathas. In [[1818]] the Marathas sold Ajmer to the [[United Kingdom|British]] for 50,000 rupees. Since then Ajmer had enjoyed unbroken peace and stable governance.

== Places of interest ==






The chief objects of interest are [[Pushkar]], and the [[Dargah]], tomb of the most revered [[Muslim]] [[sufi]] saint [[Moinuddin Chishti]], the Gharib Nawaz.

[[Image:Pushkar Lake.JPG|thumb|right|250px|The [[Pushkar]] Lake]]
'''[[Pushkar]]''' is a town in the state of Rajasthan in India near Ajmer, about 14 Kilometers away, and is an important tourist destination. Pushkar is famous for Pushkar Lake and the 14th century Hindu temple to [[Brahma]], God as the Creator of all creation. This is the only temple of Brahma in the world. Pushkar is also famous for its annual Camel Fair.

[[Image:Sufi photos 051.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Dargah of [[Sufi]] saint Moinuddin Chishti]]
The '''Dargah Shareef''' of Khwaza [[Moinuddin Chishti]] is situated at the foot of the Taragarh hill, and consists of several white marble buildings arranged around two courtyards, including a massive gate donated by the [[Nizam]] of [[Hyderabad state|Hyderabad]], a [[mosque]] donated by the [[Mughal]] emperor [[Shah Jahan]], the Akbari [[Masjid]], and the domed tomb of the saint. To this place Emperor [[Akbar]], with his queen, performed pilgrimage on foot from [[Agra]] every year in observance of a [[vow]] he had made when praying for a son. The large pillars, erected at intervals of two miles the whole way between Agra and Ajmer, marking the daily halting places of the royal pilgrim, are still extant.

'''[[Taragarh Fort]]''', the fort of Ajmer, seat of the Chauhan rulers, is claimed to be the first hill fort of Asia, built at a time when the Aravalli mountain ranges were above the snowlines. This gives it the reputation of being one of the oldest hill forts of the world, and it is definitely the oldest among the hill forts in India.

The '''Adhai-din-ka-jhonpra''', a [[Jain]] temple constructed in [[1153]] and converted into a mosque by [[Qutubuddin Aibak]] after [[1193]], is situated on the lower slope of the Taragarh hill. With the exception of that part used as a mosque, nearly the whole of the ancient temple has fallen into ruins, but the relics are not excelled in beauty of architecture and sculpture by any remains of Hindu art. Forty columns support the roof, but no two are alike, and great fertility of invention is manifested in the execution of the ornaments.

'''Magazine,''' the city's Museum, was once the residence of Prince Salim, son of Emperor [[Akbar]], and presently houses a collection of the Mughal and Rajput armour and sculpture. This residence of Salim is significant from a historical point of view, because Salim as Emperor [[Jahangir]] read out the firman for trade to India to the British East India company from here, thus starting the chain of events that lead to India's colonisation by the British.

The summit of Taragarh hill, overhanging Ajmer, is crowned by a fort, the lofty thick battlements of which run along its brow and enclose the table-land. The walls are two miles in circumference, and the fort can only be approached by steep and very roughly paved planes, commanded by the fort and the outworks, and by the hill to the west. On coming into the hands of the [[British Raj]], the fort was dismantled by order of Lord [[William Bentinck]], and was converted into a sanatorium for the troops stationed at the British cantonment town of [[Nasirabad, India|Nasirabad]].

'''[[Mayo College]]''' was established in 1875 by [[Lord Mayo]], [[Viceroy of India]]. The architecture of the school buildings evoke the grandeur of erstwhile princely Rajasthan. The main building of the school, in white marble, is a classic example of Indo-Saracenic architecture, and the design now lies in the archives of the British Museum in London.<ref> [http://www.mayocollege.com/AboutBuildingArch.asp Main Building Architecture: Official website of Mayo College, Ajmer, India] </ref>







Nasirabad is a town near Ajmer.

*Magazine
*Rajputana Museum
*Nasiyan (Jain mandir)
*Abdullah Khan's tomb
*Ana Sagar
*Circuit house
*Khobra Bheroon Temple
*Visal Sar

'''Around Ajmer'''
*Ajaipalji
*Anted ki Mata
*Jain Chhatries
*Foy Sagar
*Mangliyawas
*[[Kishangarh]]
*[[Beawar]]

== Education ==

Ajmer is home to [[Mayo college]], a boarding school founded by the British Raj in 1870 to educate the children of Rajputana's nobles on the lines of an English public school. Ajmer is also home to the prestigious St. Mary's convent girls school, St. Anselm's Sr. Sec. School,Sophia Girls' School and Sophia College, and the historic Ajmer Music College, founded in 1942, which was the first accredited institution in Rajputana for teaching classical Hindustani music. One of the four NCERT Demonstration Schools of India is also located in Ajmer.

Other educational institutions which prominently shaped the academic environment of Ajmer before India became independent are the Government College, Savitri Girls' School & College, D.A.V. College, Government High School, Convent Girls' School, King George Royal Indian Military School, St. Paul's School, Moinia Islamia School, Oswal Jain High School, Husband Memorial High School, Govt. Central Girls' School, Arya Putri Pathshala, and Saraswati Balika Vidyalaya.

==Demographics==
[[As of 2001]] India [[census]],<ref>{{GR|India}}</ref> Ajmer had a population of 485,197. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Ajmer has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 56% of the males and 44% of females literate. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

==References==
{{reflist}}
*{{1911}}

== See also ==
[http://www.ajmerphull.com Ajmer Singh Phull]

* [[Ajmer (Lok Sabha constituency)]]

==External links==
*[http://ajmer.nic.in/]Ajmer Official website
*[http://www.rajasthan.gov.in/Ajmer.SHTM]external link to ajmer
*[http://www.shunya.net/Pictures/Rajasthan/Ajmer/Ajmer.htm] Picture on ajmer
*[http://www.ajmerchishtyshrine.com/ Ajmer Dargah, Shrine of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishty also known as Khwaja Gharib Nawaz]
*[http://www.khwajagaribnawaz.com/ Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishty in Ajmer Sharif]
*[http://www.GaribNawaz.com Hazrat Khwaja Garib Nawaz]
*[http://www.hosuronline.com/update/weather/changelocation.asp?code=INXX0002 Ajmer Weather]
*[http://www.georgians.in Ajmer Military School, Ajmer Alumni Association]
*[http://www.mayocollege.com Official website of: "Mayo College", Ajmer, Rajasthan, India]
*[http://www.sanskrititheschool.org Official Website Of "Sanskriti...The School" , Ajmer , Rajasthan, India]
*[http://www.rajasthancityguide.com/ajmer-rajasthan-india.html Ajmer City Guide: "Ajmer City Guide", Ajmer, Rajasthan, India]

[[Category:Cities and towns in Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Rajasthan]]

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