It was here in Ajmer that one of the first contacts between the Mughal King Jahangir and Sir Thomas Roe took place in the year 1616. One of the most significant periods in the history of Rajasthan is the modern period, which lasted between 1707 and 1947. Though the Mughal Emperor Akbar was able to create a separate province of Rajasthan, political disintegration began with the fall of the Mughal dynasty. When the Marathas got an opportunity to invade Ajmer in 1755, they finally captured Ajmer. The Scindias took over the city in 1818 and then handed it over to the British and it became one of the only parts of Rajasthan controlled directly by the British East Indian Company. The history of Ajmer still resounds in the various monuments that are strewn around here, echoing the district's past glory. Ajmer is a popular pilgrimage centre for the Hindus as well as Muslims. Especially famous is the Ajmer e Sharif -Tomb of the Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, which is equally revered by the Hindus and Muslims. Ajmer is a great centre of culture and education. The British chose Ajmer for its prestigious Mayo College, a school exclusively for Indian nobility. Ajmer is also the base for visiting Pushkar (11 km.), the abode of Lord Brahma, lying to its west with a temple and a picturesque lake. The Pushkar Lake is a sacred spot for Hindus. During the month of Kartik (October-November), devotes throng in large numbers here to take a dip in the sacred lake. |