DELHI-JAIPUR-AJMER-CHITTOR-UDAIPUR-AHMEDABAD-DWARKA-AHMEDABAD-MOUNT ABU-JAIPUR-DELHI
DAY 02 : AJMER
Day 02 of our Rajasthan- Gujarat sojourn was meant for travelling from Jaipur to Ajmer and visiting the Dargah of Khwaja Saleem Chishti in the forenoon and Pushkar Temple in the afternoon as the Temple opens only at 3.30pm.
We left the Guest House at Jaipur at 9.10 am after gorging on aloo parathas and curd to cover a distance of 130 km to Ajmer.
The first Toll Plaza came after 20 kms at 9.40 am where we dished out Rs 80. But one didn’t mind paying as the road ahead was absolutely smooth and we were going at 120 kms per hour in our Hyundai i20 without feeling any rattling whatsoever. Fantastic!!! Just 35 kms before Ajmer, there was another Toll Plaza but we were surprised that there were no charges. We only had to produce the previous receipt and no further payment!!
As we approached Kishangarh at about 10.50 am, we missed the bypass to Ajmer and entered Kishangarh instead. As the roads are still under construction at many places, the road indicators/signages are not always perfect… are even missing at times. Anyway that added a little extra time to our drive and availability of time not being a constraint we did not mind it.
Soon we were back on the highway and saw the big M of McDonalds, the Country Inn, Swad-Ri-Dhani (an ethnic village resort) and many more hotels and restaurants before we were greeted by a big hoarding welcoming us to “ Ajmer the City of Prithvi Raj Chauhan” .
Ajmer is a unique blend of history and civilisation. The name has been derived from "Ajay Meru" a range of Aravali hills which surrounds the area. It is an interesting place which attracts people of all religions. The Dargah of Saleem Chishti is a big attraction for all, irrespective of their religion, caste or creed. Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Shah Jahan was born here. For Hindus, the Pushkar is supposed to be the only temple of Brahma. Swami Dayanand Saraswati breathed his last here. There are a number of churches here. There are also Digambar Jain temples in the area with Sidhkut Chaitalaya being a prominent one which was constructed in the year 1865. Ajmer is also recognised as a centre of education as the British developed it as an academic centre. Mayo College, Ajmer was established by the British in the year 1875 and it continues to be a centre of excellence even today. I also liked the design and build of the Clock Tower adorning the city.
DARGAH OF KHWAJA MOINUDDIN CHISHTI
Our contact person at Ajmer had arranged for a Khadim from the Dargah to escort us to the place and I am glad that he was arranged because without his pushing us probably we would not have been able to enter the Dargah’s sanctum sanctorum on our own. He asked us to leave our car and come with him in the 3 wheeler which he had brought with him. The ride in the 3 wheeler was a memorable event, clutching the side rods tightly to avoid a fall during the extremely bumpy ride (and that is an understatement) on way to the Dargah, unmindful of any rumble strips, speed-breakers or pot-holes, not to mention the narrow approach to the Dargah with hordes of people falling on each other. I am surprised how we did not meet any accident or even scratched anyone… (except the aching bicep and fore-arm of my right hand which was clutching the rod)… Allah ki meher hai, bhai !!
We profusely thanked the Khadim, paid his charges of Rs 500 and came back in the same three-wheeler back to our camp having a feeling of great achievement that we had come back safe and sound.
The place was like any religious place, dirty, filthy, manipulative with greedy and corrupt people around. An interesting site was a whole lot of foreign tourists taking ride on camels. Many of them waved at my hubby. Did they think he too was a firang? His fair complexion perhaps confused them.
Disillusioned with the religious places of both the faiths, it was time to go back to our local pad now.
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| The impressive Clock Tower in Ajmer |
Day 02 of our Rajasthan- Gujarat sojourn was meant for travelling from Jaipur to Ajmer and visiting the Dargah of Khwaja Saleem Chishti in the forenoon and Pushkar Temple in the afternoon as the Temple opens only at 3.30pm.
We left the Guest House at Jaipur at 9.10 am after gorging on aloo parathas and curd to cover a distance of 130 km to Ajmer.
The first Toll Plaza came after 20 kms at 9.40 am where we dished out Rs 80. But one didn’t mind paying as the road ahead was absolutely smooth and we were going at 120 kms per hour in our Hyundai i20 without feeling any rattling whatsoever. Fantastic!!! Just 35 kms before Ajmer, there was another Toll Plaza but we were surprised that there were no charges. We only had to produce the previous receipt and no further payment!!
As we approached Kishangarh at about 10.50 am, we missed the bypass to Ajmer and entered Kishangarh instead. As the roads are still under construction at many places, the road indicators/signages are not always perfect… are even missing at times. Anyway that added a little extra time to our drive and availability of time not being a constraint we did not mind it.
Soon we were back on the highway and saw the big M of McDonalds, the Country Inn, Swad-Ri-Dhani (an ethnic village resort) and many more hotels and restaurants before we were greeted by a big hoarding welcoming us to “ Ajmer the City of Prithvi Raj Chauhan” .
Ajmer is a unique blend of history and civilisation. The name has been derived from "Ajay Meru" a range of Aravali hills which surrounds the area. It is an interesting place which attracts people of all religions. The Dargah of Saleem Chishti is a big attraction for all, irrespective of their religion, caste or creed. Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Shah Jahan was born here. For Hindus, the Pushkar is supposed to be the only temple of Brahma. Swami Dayanand Saraswati breathed his last here. There are a number of churches here. There are also Digambar Jain temples in the area with Sidhkut Chaitalaya being a prominent one which was constructed in the year 1865. Ajmer is also recognised as a centre of education as the British developed it as an academic centre. Mayo College, Ajmer was established by the British in the year 1875 and it continues to be a centre of excellence even today. I also liked the design and build of the Clock Tower adorning the city.
DARGAH OF KHWAJA MOINUDDIN CHISHTI
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| Shirky Darwaza (Gate# 4) of Dargah |
The Dargah, which has given Ajmer a lot of importance dates back to the 13th century. It houses the grave of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, a Sufi saint who was stated to be a descendant of Prophet Mohammed and had received this land from Prithvi Raj Chauhan. It was interesting to know that the Dargah is considered next only to Mecca and Madina by the Muslims.. It is strongly believed that whatever one prays here is granted to him as a boon.
Our contact person at Ajmer had arranged for a Khadim from the Dargah to escort us to the place and I am glad that he was arranged because without his pushing us probably we would not have been able to enter the Dargah’s sanctum sanctorum on our own. He asked us to leave our car and come with him in the 3 wheeler which he had brought with him. The ride in the 3 wheeler was a memorable event, clutching the side rods tightly to avoid a fall during the extremely bumpy ride (and that is an understatement) on way to the Dargah, unmindful of any rumble strips, speed-breakers or pot-holes, not to mention the narrow approach to the Dargah with hordes of people falling on each other. I am surprised how we did not meet any accident or even scratched anyone… (except the aching bicep and fore-arm of my right hand which was clutching the rod)… Allah ki meher hai, bhai !!
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| The author coming out of Dargah. Covering the head was compulsory. |
Once inside, amidst teeming crowds, we were told to purchase a chadar and a flower basket for offering at the Dargah not realising at that moment how tough it is going to be for us to reach the Dargah and do Kadambosi (kissing the feet) of the peer. At many stages, I almost gave up anticipating a stampede or the fear of getting my ribs crushed. But thanks to the Khadim who kept pushing us exhorting us to move on until we did the kadambosi. On coming out, I realised that I had not been able to pray at all there, my only concern at that moment being my survival. The immense feeling of relief post-kadambosi was our major reward.
We profusely thanked the Khadim, paid his charges of Rs 500 and came back in the same three-wheeler back to our camp having a feeling of great achievement that we had come back safe and sound.
PUSHKAR TEMPLE AKA PUSHKAR TEERTH AKA BRAHMA TEMPLE
The afternoon was reserved for the visit to Pushkar Temple. The hilly drive to Pushkar with langoors sitting on the road-sides was exhilarating. The bliss did not last too long and soon we were pestered by the guides and one of them started chasing us on his bike until we said 'yes' to his advances. His charges being extremely nominal at Rs 100, we decided to add to the gross national income of the country and hired his services.
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| A Hanuman Temple within the complex |
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| A Shiva Temple within the premises |
Once inside the temple, we were surrounded by the pandas for the pooja for our ancestors. One thing I have not been able to understand till date and that is if one has not looked after the parents when they were alive, what is the idea of performing various poojas for them and filling the coffers of the pandas. Anyway, that is my personal opinion without any offence to the believers. Soon, a panda was after us and offered to do some pooja without any charges and insisted on doing it. As we succumbed to his pressure, he sent me for an errand and started persuading my hubby to undertake various types of rituals which he withstood with high degree of nonchalance. The next step was interesting as he asked us to pay him his charges. When confronted with his own earlier statement that he will not charge anything for the pooja, he said pointing towards the ghat, “ Yes I said that but it was at that place and at that time. I am asking for my dues now at this place.” It was irritating as well as hilarious and we asked him to get lost irrespective of any curses that he might have hurled at us like Rishi Durvasa.
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| The holy cow |
ADHAI DIN KA JHOPDA
We had heard a lot about this but did not have enough time to visit it. It is a mosque which was built from the remains of a Temple in a Sanskrit College, destroyed by Mohammed Gauri in the year 1193. He ordered the mosque to be built in 2.5 days so that he could read his namaz there. How many atrocities were inflicted on Hindus by these invaders from the central Asia is something to be seen to be believed. Seeing how they attacked our religious places and tried to destroy our culture, only makes one angry.
THREE LEARNINGS OF THE DAY
1. Don’t throw away the Toll Plaza receipts. At many places, the previous ones have to be shown for moving along without paying any additional charges at the next Toll Plaza.
2. Don’t rely totally on your eyes while reading signages. In case of doubt, DO stop and ask the locals for the direction.
3. Religious places are all the same and one should not expect much there unless you have blind faith in the rituals.
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| The picturesque road to Pushkar ***** |
2 comments:
Kishangarh is famous for its miniature paintings.
Perhaps a visit to Ajmer Sharif teaches one to take care of oneself, and not to pray and seek."Khudi ko kar buland itna, ki har tadbeer se pehle, Khuda bande se yeh pooche, bata teri raza kya hai!"
About religious rituals the less said the better it is.
Your write up is interesting, informative and useful! Thanks.
A good write-up. Yes religious places have generally begun to disillusion especially because they are so poorly kept. Also the beggars one usually finds. But have you not felt - frequently the clean temples etc. do not inspire any deep feeling either!!!
Did you not buy anything from Pushkar. Mythologically it is knowm for Brahma's rose - and I can vouch for their gulaab jal and gulukand.
Following your trip with interest
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