A Nomad's Diary - travel tales

Living a Long Weekend in the Lanes of AJMER!

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Work and cyclical, tedious life, pipes in boredom. This is when the calendar gives you long weekends. One of the best ways to rejuvenate is taking a break from daily life and heading to some unforeseen destination. If you are living in Delhi or nearby cities, Ajmer is a great city to travel on a long weekend. 

List of Contents

Travelling & Getting There:

Ajmer is roughly 404 kms. from Delhi. From Jaipur which is the capital city of Rajasthan, it can be reached in two and half hours maximum. So the best way to reach Ajmer is by road or by boarding a train. Rajasthan has an excellent wide network of buses (thanks to RSRTC) which varies as per the comfort level thereby suiting people from all walks of life. The roads across Rajasthan are also in good condition adding further a reason for one to plan a road trip. Apart from this Ajmer is well connected by railway. Conversely, taking a flight may not be the best ways to reach Ajmer as it still doesn’t have its own airport and the nearest one is in Jaipur itself. 

Staying There:

Mansingh Palace Hotel, Ajmer

Courtesy the popularity of Rajasthan from the tourism perspective, there is an extensive variety of hotels catering to people of different economic backgrounds. We stayed in Mansingh Palace Hotel which has a structure with a royal façade. The interiors too reflect magnificence making it similar to a heritage property. In fact, it is a beautiful replica of a 18th-century fortress. The hotel is situated near the fascinating man-made Ana Sagar Lake. 

(The detailed property review of Mansingh Palace hotel will be published soon. Stay Tuned!) Being positioned very near to the main markets and places to see, the hotel is a great place to stay when in Ajmer.

Things To Do in Ajmer:

  • Visit Ajmer Dargah Shariff:

Dargah Sharif is a famous Muslim shrine which traces its relevance from the time of Emperor Akbar. It is actually the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty who was popularly known Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, “Sultan-Ul-Hind”, Khwaja Baba, Khwaja Gharib Nawaz Ajmeri. 

The early morning prayers & khidmat offered by khadims start at 4 A.M. but at this time visitors are not allowed inside. It is only after 5 A.M. that the visitors are allowed to enter generally. There is no best time to visit the shrine in a given day; hundreds of people are always present to visit the holy shrine so come prepared like for any other crowded place.  At the time of annual Urs, not only in the dargah area but entire Ajmer city is packed with visitors and pilgrims from all around the globe.

 

  • Shopping in Ajmer:

Ajmer gets its diverse culture ethnicity as it has people of both Hindu and Muslims as the major masses residing here. There are a number of shopping places in Ajmer like Dargah Bazar, Churi Bazar, Naya Bazar, & more. The dargah bazaar has clothes, street side eateries, flower shops, toys & souvenirs related to shrine etc.  

Like its name, Churi Bazaar has a huge variety of bangles especially lac and plastic (seep) bangles. Naya & Mahila Mandal Bazars have a variety of things to meet daily needs.

  • Things to Eat in Ajmer:

Apart from trying the traditional Rajasthani cuisine, Ajmer has a lot to offer to meet your food desires. At Dargah road, one can have a variety of non-vegetarian dishes like kebabs, curries like Nihari & Mutton Korma and other Mughlai dishes. Restaurants like Mango Masala, Sheesh Mahal, Olive Kitchen, Rasoi are very good and befit to mid-budget to luxury guests.

  • Visit Ana Sagar Lake:

Located in the heart of the city, Ana Sagar Lake is a man-made lake that touches most of the Ajmer. Currently, beautification work is going on from the outskirts by the government. It has awe-inspiring views in the morning and at the sunset, more so when clouds hover around the nearby hills.  

  • Visit Soniji Ki Nasiyan & Nareli Temples:

Sonji Ki Nasiyan temple is located very close by to the Dargah Sharif. It is a Jain temple with stunning opulence shimmering from its architecture. Nareli Jain temple is located some 7 kms. from the city center. It is a new temple which is largely made of marbles. The estimated production cost of it is about 100 crores.

  • Visit Pushkar:

If you have a day left or an extra day in hand then visiting Pushkar is a great place to plan a long weekend trip to Ajmer.  It is a small town which comes alive especially at the time of Camel fair each year. The connecting road to Ajmer & Pushkar has great views to offer. Do not miss to stop by Prithviraj Smarak for a panoramic view of Ajmer city.

Things to Miss:

We found these places worth giving a miss:

  • Visiting Akbar Fort as it is under renovation so closed. Adhai din ka Jhonpara is below average and nothing much to see here.
  • Visitors are not allowed to enter the building and so visiting Mayo College is not that of a wholesome experience.

(47) Comments

  1. Great dear… Ajmer is a beautiful place… In fact I am traveling udaypur this weekend and let’s see if possible will visit ajmer too…

  2. Safiya says:

    This post and especially the images brought Ajmer in front of my eyes. I would love to visit it someday.

    1. Thank you so much.

  3. Pushkar is a lot more than just the camel fair 🙂

    1. I know but I will be describing that in another post. 🙂

  4. Nisha Malik says:

    I too have been to Ajmer and Pushkar bit missed the lake. Really regret. You brought back some beautiful memories. ?

    1. Thanks.. Next time maybe when you visit Ajmer try and make it to the lake as well.

  5. Wow….I always wanted to visit this place…..I have heard alot abt ajmer……n you have described things very well…..

    1. Thank you, it will work as a quick reference whenever you are planning to visit Ajmer.

      1. Yeah……thnx to u…???

  6. The travel Diary to ajmer looks great. Thanks for sharing I have been to ajmer many times. Its a great place.

    1. Glad you liked it. Anything we missed out on?

  7. I am yet to explore this side of India. After reading your post, I really want to plan asap.

  8. Hitasha says:

    I went here as a child. After looking at details you have given, will plan to visit soon.

    1. You must visit. Though the lanes are still the same there though modernity and better arrangement have made some place there.

  9. I’m planning to visit Ajmer soon And this post will be great guide for me Bookmarking this

    1. Glad that it was helpful to you.

  10. I have never been to this place ever , your journey looks so amazing ❤

  11. Ajmer is a wonderful place, especially Soniji ka Nasiyan. I suggest adding one pic of this place also.

    1. Sure will try and incorporate it. 🙂

  12. I heard a lot about beauty of Ajmer city from one of my friend. And now after reading your post i really want to go there once. Fabulous post.

    1. XoXo

  13. This is such a beautiful post.. My mil always says that the vibes of Ajmer will call you when it’s the right time for you to visit… My hubby, inlaws and family went there when I was pregnant with my second kiddo and thus could not travel.. Your post virtually transported me there

    1. Aww.. fret not the calling from Ajmer will be soon.

  14. Really loved reading your post. Much needed and detailed information. Really wanna visit the place though

    1. Sure whenever you are planning to go to Ajmer do refer this article!

  15. Nice, I have been to ajmer some 2-3 times. I love visiting Dargah, jain temple and Ana sagar the most.

  16. Ajmer seems like a wonderful place. I haven’t been to any part of Rajasthan but I am sure they are beautiful. I loved the extensive description of your stay.

  17. Mrinal says:

    Ajmer is a really beautiful place.. planning to visit it sometime soon! Loved the pics

  18. Been to ajmer once,great place. Thanks for article

  19. Looks like you missed the magnificent Jain Temple – Nasian Ji. Do visit it when you are there next.

  20. helene dsouza says:

    I usually only pass by Ajmer or Kishanghar to either go to the mountains or because we travel to Pushkar and stay there for a while. Maybe next time I ll take a round in Ajmer, the bazaar looks interesting. 🙂

    1. I wanna explore Pushkar more. Do you have a post written about the same would love to read about it?

  21. Amazing! I’ve never been to that area of the world, I would love to visit someday:) your photos are beautiful! Thanks for sharing:)

    1. Thank you!

  22. Amber says:

    These are some great pictures! I’ve never been to Ajmer before. I need to go!

    1. It’s a great place to visit on a short trip.

  23. Yes , We visited Ajmer/pushar last year on 3 days trip .. Direct shatabadi from Delhi at 6 : 00 am to ajmer is the best mode to reach there … Hopefully you were not stuck by heat out there .

    1. The weather was pleasant there as a couple of showers came every day.

  24. What an amazing place. Ajmer seem so beautiful. Glad you had a great time.

    1. Yup it has a mix of spirituality and culture.

  25. These picture looks interesting. would love to visit soon. Thanks for sharing this awesome post !

  26. Definitely a part of the world I have never even heard of. The ana saga lake, looks very peaceful. I like it.

    1. You should visit India soon then.. XoXo

  27. I find that the view of the lake is the most beautiful and peaceful part. It looks like it has an healing effect.

    1. Yes the lake view is mesmerizing…

  28. […] one day he went to him and told about his woe. It is said that the saint then directed him to go to Ajmer Sharif on his feet which Mughal emperor Akbar did. When he came back, saint Salim Chisti professed that […]

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