Ajmer: Dargah, Lake and Historic Buildings

Ajmer is a destination for travelers who want to include religious buildings, historic architecture and lakeside walks in their trip. The city offers a range of interests: the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, buildings with Hindu and Islamic design elements, and paths along Ana Sagar Lake. If you’re looking for a hotel in Ajmer, these interests can provide a helpful basis for planning your trip. The places below show how the cultural and scenic highlights differ.

Religious Sites and Architecture

The Ajmer Sharif Dargah is a Sufi shrine dating from the 13th century. It contains the tomb of Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty, also known as Garib Nawaz. The Dargah is revered by both Hindus and Muslims; Muslims come to it from all over the world. Three gates lead to its distinctive architectural details, as described: the Nizam Gate, the Shah Jahan Gate and the Buland Darwaza.

Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra is a building dating from the 12th century. Its design includes intricately decorated exterior facades, pillars and ceilings, as well as a combination of Hindu and Islamic forms. The building thus offers a distinct perspective on Ajmer’s architectural history: different design traditions are considered together here rather than separately.

Soniji Ki Nasiyan also combines religious themes with a richly detailed interior. The Swarna Nagri features miniature scenes of holy cities such as Ayodhya and Prayagraj, a depiction of Mount Sumeru and 225 golden lotus flowers. The individual motifs range from cityscapes to religious imagery; together, they give the complex a different architectural focus from the Dargah and Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra.

History and Walks along Ana Sagar Lake

Ana Sagar Lake is artificial. Arnoraj Chauhan commissioned its construction between 1135 and 1150 AD and had the lake created. This date places the lake within Ajmer’s early history and distinguishes it from a natural body of water. The Chowpatty and Jetty paths along its banks are suitable for walks.

A group of white marble pavilions, the Anasagar Baradari, stands on the southeastern shore of the lake. The Mughal emperor Jahangir had the Daulat Bagh Gardens laid out near Ana Sagar Lake. The description of the lake’s surroundings thus brings together different elements: the artificial lake’s history, paths for walks along the shore and the white marble pavilions. Each of these places has a different emphasis; they do not all describe the same kind of visitor experience.

Fort, Museum and Other Sights

Taragarh Fort is situated on a hill. Its main gate is decorated with elephant sculptures and flanked on both sides by two bastions containing guard rooms. The description thus focuses on the gate and its architectural framing: the sculptures, bastions and guard rooms are the specific details that reveal the fort’s architecture.

The Government Museum in Ajmer is housed in the 16th-century Akbari Fort. The Sai Baba Temple is located in Ajay Nagar, Ajmer, and was built in 1999. It is made of translucent marble. The museum and temple thus differ both in their setting and in the architectural features described: the museum is housed in a 16th-century fort, while the temple is distinguished by its material and year of construction.

Ajmer’s colorful bazaars offer traditional handicrafts. They provide a different focus from the historic buildings and religious sites: here, the emphasis is on craftsmanship. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider whether you want to devote most of your time to architectural and religious history, walks by the lake, or handicrafts as well.

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Go to the main travel overview: Ajmer.