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490,000 Area Code: 0145
Ajmer,
138km southwest of Jaipur, is where the Sufi saint Khawaja Muin-ud-din
Chishti lived. He founded the Chistiya Order, the main Sufi order in
India. His tomb, the Dargah, is one of the most visited Muslim shrines
in India.
Most
travelers come to Ajmer on their way to or from Pushkar. There is little
of interest here, so most people move on quickly.
Information
The helpful Tourist Office (52426) is in the Khadim Tourist Bungalow
near the bus stand (Mon to Sat 8 am to noon and 3 to 6 pm). They can
arrange tourist taxis and approved guides. There is a tourist information
counter in the railway station.
You
can change money at the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, on Station
Rd, and the State Bank of India, near the bus stand. The State Bank
of Baroda, Pushkar Rd, opposite the GPO, changes cash, travelers cheques
(must have the receipt) and accepts some credit cards.
Pratap
Memorial Hospital (20402), Kutchery Rd, and JLN Hospital (21420) are
possible hospitals.
Dargah (Muin-ud-din Chishti Tomb)
Thousands of devoted Muslims come to Ajmer during the Urs Mela to visit
the tomb of Khwajaxe Muin-ud-din Chishti. When he died in 1236, he was
buried in a small brick tomb in the northern part of town. A marble
complex called the Dargah now surrounds it. Visitors enter the complex
from Dargah Bazaar through an ornate gate that leads to a courtyard.
There are two gigantic containers, called degs (3m wide), full of rice
that is distributed to devotees as tabarukh, sanctified food. The mosque
built by Akbar is to the right. The tomb of Muin-ud-din Chishti is a
central marble building surrounded by a silver railing. Nearby is a
superb mosque built by Shah Jahan. A small donation is expected.
Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra
& Taragarh Fort
Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra means the “2½ day Mosque,” which
is how long it is said it took Muhammad of Ghur to build it in 1195.
It has giant pillars and Persian lettering on its seven arches. It is
located half a km past Dargah.
Three km west of Dargah (built 1100) is the Taragarh Fort or Star Fort.
It is now in ruins and is not so interesting, but the view is good.
Daulat Khana Palace
It was once the palace of the Mughal emperor Akbar. It is now a government
museum containing sculptures and other exhibits. Open daily except Fri
10 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 3, photography prohibited. It is located
near the GPO.
Other
Places
The lavishly decorated Nashiyan Jain Temple has models
depicting the Jain conception of the universe and theology. It is dedicated
to Adinath. It is very well done and is worth seeing. About 25% of the
population of Ajmer are Jains. Open daily 8.30 am to 5 pm.
Ana
Sagar, in the northeast side of town, is an often-dry artificial
lake. When there is water in the winter months it is a nice place to
walk around. Next to it is the Dault Bagh gardens.
Near
the railway station are Edward Memorial Hall and the
Jubilee Clock Tower.
A
few km from Ajmer on the road to Pushkar are wet lands, which is a good
place for bird watching. When I went there with a friend, we spotted
28 types of birds.
Where to Stay—Lower
Be careful of the rickshaw drivers who will bring you to any hotel for
Rs 5. In truth they will only bring you to the hotel of their choice,
where they receive a commission.
You
can stay in a room in a family’s house using the Paying Guest
Scheme. This is arranged at the tourist office in the RTDC Khadim Tourist
Bungalow.
Anand Hotel (23099), Prithviraj Marg, has clean rooms with bath and
hot water for Rs 125/150. It is a good place.
Hill Top Cottage (623-984), 164 Shastri Nagar, is a nice place with
clean rooms for Rs 350/450 to Rs 600. It serves veg meals.
King Edward Memorial Rest House (KEM) (429-936), across the street from
the railway station, has basic rooms for Rs 90/130 and Rs 150/200. You
should ask to see some rooms, as many of them are different and some
are really run-down.
Hotel Ashoka (24729), near the railway station, has basic rooms with
common bath for Rs 125/150.
Sirtaj Hotel (20096), near the railway station, has good rooms for Rs
150/200. The restaurant serves Punjabi food.
RTDC Khadim Tourist Bungalow (52490) is by the bus station, an 8-min
auto-rickshaw ride from the railway station. Rooms are Rs 250/300 and
Rs 400/500 with A/C. Dorm beds are Rs 60. It has a nice location, but
is not so well maintained. It is popular with travelers.
Aravali Holiday Resort (52089), nearby, has rooms with bath (bucket
hot water) for Rs 150/175 and a room with bath with constant hot water
is Rs 250/300.
Hotel Samrat (621-257), Kutchery Rd, near the railway station, has rooms
with TV for Rs 300/375 up to Rs 700. It is close to the private bus
companies and is convenient for an early morning bus departure. It is
overpriced. 24-hour checkout.
Bhola Hotel (432-844), opposite the church at Agra Gate and near the
train station, has rooms with bath for Rs 125/145. Hot water from a
tap in the hall. It has a good veg restaurant. 24-hour checkout.
Nagpal Tourist Hotel (429-503), across the street from the railway station,
has modern, comfortable double rooms with TV starting at Rs 500. It
is a good place. 24-hour checkout.
Where to Stay—Middle and High
Hotel Regency (620-296; fax 420-747), Delhi Gate, has good modern rooms
for Rs 600/700 and Rs 970/1000 with A/C.
Hotel Embassy (623-859), Jaipur Rd, has comfortable rooms for Rs 600/900.
Mansingh Palace Hotel (425-702; fax 425-858), Ana Sagar Circular Rd,
a few km northeast of town, is the only high-end hotel, but at Rs 2100/3100
for a room it is not a good value. It is a nice place and is well-located.
Where
to Eat
Bhola Hotel is a recommended, cheap vegetarian place. A thali is Rs
35.
Jai Hind Restaurant, behind the clock tower, across from the railway
station, is a good vegetarian place.
Honeydew Restaurant, near the KEM Rest House, has Indian food, pizzas
and ice cream.
Sabras, Prithviraj Marg, is a good, reasonably cheap veg place, popular
with the locals.
Tandoor Restaurant, south of the bus stand, has a tandoori cuisine.
Sheesh, at the Mansingh Palace, is a very good place with main dishes
ranging from Rs 75 to Rs 200 (12.30 to 3 pm and 7.30 to 11 pm).
Local
Travel
An auto-rickshaw to most places in town should be no more than Rs 20.
Travel
Train Ajmer is on the Delhi–Jaipur–Ahmedabad
line, and most trains on this line stop here. Agra: Agra Fort Fast Passenger
Exp #9706 (8 pm, 10½ hr); Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad Exp #9903 (9.50
pm, 12½ hr), Ahmedabad Mail #9901 (8.30 am, 12 hr); Delhi: Shatabdi
Exp #2016 (3 pm, 7 hr), Aravalli Exp #9932 (7 pm, 10½ hr); Jaipur:
Shatabdi Exp #2016 (3 pm, 2¼ hr), Pink City Exp #2916 (1.50 pm
2½ hr); Jodhpur: Jodhpur Mail #4893 (5.45 am, 6 hr); Udaipur:
Chetak Exp #9815 (3.35 pm, 8 hr).
Bus
The bus station (20398) is about 2km southwest of the railway station.
It has a baggage storage place. There are deluxe buses to Delhi (7½
hr), Mumbai, Jaipur (2½ hr, every half-hour), Udaipur (7 hr,
every hr), Chittorgarh (4 hr, every hr), Kota (5 hr, every hr), Bundi
(165km), Mt Abu (10 hr), Bharatpur (7½ hr), Bikaner (7 hr), Jodhpur
(4½ hr, regularly), Jaisalmer (12 hr, 7.30 am) and Ahmedabad
(12 hr).
On
Kutchery Rd, near the railway station there are private companies that
operate buses to many places. If you book a bus ticket in Pushkar with
a travel agency, the agency will usually provide a free jeep ride to
Ajmer. Ekta Travels and Shrinath Travels are two possible companies.
Buses
to Pushkar (Rs 5, return Rs 4) depart from outside Gandhi Bhawan, which
is across the street from the railway station, a few hundred metres
to the right after exiting the station. There are shared jeeps (Rs 10)
to Pushkar.
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a informationthat is not correct or if you would like to help update
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