AJMER, Rajasthan

Main Attraction: PUSHKAR FAIR

The most easily identifiable of Rajasthan's many fairs, Pushkar, has come to symbolise the heartbeat of the people in the state. It is held in the month of Kartik Poornima. Pushkar, the temple town is just 11 km. away from Ajmer. The fair is held in the vast stretching desert around the famous Lord Brahma Temple. The highlight of the fair is the trading of camels particularly of camels. It is probably the world's largest camel fair where camels are bought, sold, decked up and paraded on the sand dunes, presenting a picturesque sight. The camel, horse and donkey races are the events, which attract large gathering of people.

The Pushkar Fair brings together a large number of people from different parts of the country, which includes pilgrims and tourist who are on a pilgrimage or to enjoy the festivities of the fair.

Brief History

Geologically the hills around Pushkar and Ajmer City are one of the oldest in India. Recent finds of microliths at Khera and Kaderi indicate that human beings inhabited the area ever since the dawn of civilzation. Links of Mohanjodaro culture with Rajasthan have been detected and it is possible that the lead found in the shape of small dishes, plumb bobs and ingots was brought from Ajmer and the black and white schist used for weights were obtained from other parts of the Aravalli hills.

Fragments of painted gray ware, non-megalithic black and red ware and northern black polished ware have been found at Chosla (Kekri tehsil) and only non-megalithic black and red ware at Sameliya (Sarwar tehsil). On of the earliest Brahmi inscriptions of pre-Ashokan period has been found in the Bhilot Mata temple in village Badli (kekri tehsil). These finds substantiate the traditional stories connected with Pushkar and the part played by this area in the protohistoric period.

The references to Pushkar in Ramayana, Mahabharat and the Puranas as well as the coins of the period suggest that the local chiefs played a significant role in dealings with the invading Kushans, Sakas, etc., in the first five centuries of the Christian era i.e. till the rise of the Chauhans.

Though the origin of the Chauhans in the 6th century A.D. is variously given by eminent scholars like Col. Tod, Dr. D.R. Bhandarkar, Dr. R.C. Majumdar, Dr. Dasharatha Sharma, G.H. Ojha and others, the result of the exercise of giving a connected account of the ruling house for the next five centuries is pretty confused, and what we finally know for certain is the names of kings like Vasudev, Samant Raj, Durlabh Raj-I, Simha Raj, Vigraha Raj, Prithivi Raj, Ajai Raj, etc. who ruled upto the 12th century. It is only when we come to year 1192 A.D. and find Mohammad Ghori attacking Ajmer and defeating Prithviraj Chauhan that the clear picture of historical narration begins.

After defeating Prithviraj Chauhan, this district was made a part of the Islamic conquests of Delhi sultans in India. Qutub-ud-din Aibak inherited the Indian conquests of Ghori in 1206 A.D. After the death of Balban in 1287 A.D. most of the area of Ajmer district was regained by Hammir Dev Chauhan of Ranthambhor. In 1301 A.D. i.e. after Hammir’s defeat and death, the district again became a part of the Sultanate. In the last decade of the 15th century, it was in the hands of Mallu Khan, in 16th century. Akbar made Ajmer the capital of an important suba of the Mughal Empire.

Upto 1712 A.D. the district was under the Mughals and after that it came under the Rathors and the Marathas. In 1801 A.D. it came under the British rule, and Mons. Perron became the first subedar of Ajmer, and appointed Mr. Low its administrator. 

The district derives its name from the headquarter town of Ajmer. Before independence Ajmer-Merwara was an isolated province of British India in Rajputana. The town, Ajmer takes its name from Raja Ajai or Ajaya, a Chauhan prince of the 12th century A.D. but according to some scholars, from another Chauhan prince, Jayapala, of the early 7th century A.D.