Info : History

A small and secular town with the history going far back in the time, this in short is Ajmer. Ajmer is a place where Garib Nawaz (protector of the poor), Sufi Saint, Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti laid himself to the eternal rest in 1236 a.d.

Ajmer always remained the bone of contention between Rajputs, Mughals, and Marathas. Ajmer was founded by a Rajput chieftain Ajayapal Chauhan, who also built first hill fort in India, the Tara Garh. As the fort was supposed to be invincible, it was named Ajai Meru (the Invincible Hill). Ajmer was brought under the control of Delhi Sultanate in 1193, when Prithvi Raj Chauhan was defeated by Mohammed Ghori. It was later returned to the local chieftains albeit for a small tribute.

Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti, the famous Sufi Saint and patrol saint of Ajmer, reached Ajmer from Persia in AD 1192 and left for the hi heavenly abode in AD 1236. Ajmer was an important military center of the Mughals and worked as the base from where campaigns were initiated against local Rajput chieftains. Jehangir, the son of Akbar and his heir to the throne of India stayed here from 1613 to 1616 in the Daulat Bagh, mostly in ruins now.

Ajmer also played an important role in paving the way for British East India Company in India. In 1616, Jehangir met ambassador of King James, Sir Thomas Roe. That was the first meeting between any Mughal Emperor and representatives of Britain. In the 17th century, Shahjahan built marble pavilions around the Ana Sagar Lake. The Taragarh Fort was damaged badly during the Mughal war of succession between Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh. Schindi Rulers of Gwalior took over Ajmer in the mid 18th century, to be handed over to the British in 1818. Mayo College, a prestigious school for the wards of colonial rulers and local gentry was founded in 1875.