NOW WHEN CENTURIES HAVE PASSED AND DETAILS ARE NO MORE DETAILS..
BUT THEY MAKE DESIGN
राजपुतास्य देशे च 'चपुहानिर्महीपति'।
अजैमेरू पुरं रम्यं विधिशोभासन्वितम्।।
अजमेर पर चौहान राजवंश का राज था पृथ्वीराज चौहान के पुर्वजों ने ही अजमेर बसाया था। तारागढ़ व गढ़ बिठली जैसे नामों से जाना जाने वाला ये राजपूत शहर प्राचीन था और इसकी गौरव गाथा भी बङी समृद्ध रही है। अजमेर के बीच झील और पहाड़ियों से घिरा यह शहर उस काल में भी हर किसी को रोमांचित कर देने वाला था तो एक तरफ उँचि पहाङी पर बना सुदृढ़ किला चौहान वंश के यश का बखान करता था। इस तरह कि भव्यता के और सुन्दरता होते किसी का मन राज-काज व मोह माया से उठकर भगवान कि भक्ति में लग जाना एक सच्चे क्षत्रिय तक ही सीमित है, हर कोई कर पाये संभव नही। राजपूत जाति मे कभी भी इतिहास लेखन कि परम्परा नही रही थी इसी लिये उस काल का समयाकन में ठिक ठिक नहीं कर पाऊंगा। यह बात है अजयराज जी चौहान कि उस समय बाहरी आक्रमणकारी भारत में प्रवेश कर चुके थे और उनके मुख्य उद्देश्य धर्म व लूट थे।
अजयराज जी ने उम्र के आखिरी पङाव मे राज-काज छोड़ प्रभु भक्ति कि तरफ मुंह किया। उस जमाने में राजपूत जब इस उम्र में घर त्याग करते तो अपना घोड़ा व तलवार साथ रखते थे और सफेद वस्त्र धारण कर एकांत वास को चले जाते थे। अजयराज जी चौहान राज्य भोग से दूर अजमेर कि पहाड़ियों में चले गये।
उस समय मुस्लिम आक्रमणकारीयों द्वारा उस क्षेत्र में गायों को चरवाहो से जबरदस्ती ले जाने कि घटना घटित हुयी। जब अजयराज जी चौहान को यह बात ज्ञात हुयी तो उसी समय उनके वृद्ध शरीर में फिर फुर्ती आ गयी और वह अपनी तलवार और घोड़ा लेकर गाय रक्षार्थ निकल पङे। यह घटना सिर्फ जनश्रुतियों से ही ज्ञात होती है लिखित इतिहास कि कमी के चलते।
एक पुरी मुस्लिम सेना कि टुकङी से अकेला वृद्ध राजपूत जा टकराता है और इतना भीषण संग्राम होता है जिसकी कल्पना भी नही कि जा सकती है इसी जगह वह वीर-गति को प्राप्त होते है। सबसे रोचक घटना यहाँ यह है कि उनका सिर युद्ध करते समय अजमेर कि इन्हीं पहाड़ियों में कट जाता है और फिर भी उनका धङ रण जारी रखता है,
उनका धङ आक्रमणकारीयों को गुजरात के अंजार जिले तक खदेड़ता है। गुजरात के अंजार जिले मे उनका धङ गिरा और वहाँ भी उनकी समाधी व छतरी बनी हुई है वहाँ भी वह पूजे जाते है,
अजमेर के पास जहाँ सिर गिरा यहाँ भी उनकी समाधी व छतरी बनी हुई है यहाँ भी उनकी पुजा होती है।
अजमेर से अंजार गुजरात कोई ४००-५०० किलोमीटर कि दूरी बिना सिर युद्ध करते हुवे जाना किसी क्षत्रिय के ही वश कि बात है अन्यत्र तो एसी कल्पना भी विध्यमान नही है ।।
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More than 1400 years ago Kshatriyas belonging to the Chauhan Rajput clan established a small kingdom around the town of Sambhar. In the 9th Century, as tributaries of the Imperial Pratihars of Kannauj, the Chauhans fought the Palas of Bengal (in the east) and the Arabs of Sindh (in the west). As their power grew, younger sons of each Chauhan Raja, known as Rajaputras, established their own strongholds and principalities around the parent kingdom. The Chauhans did not suffer any loss during the 11th Century invasions of Mahmud Ghaznavi but they had several fights with his successors who established their rule in the neighboring region of Punjab.
In the early 12th Century Ajayraj Chauhan built a fort near the Holy Town of Pushkar. The site commanded a strategic gap in the Aravalli hills—to the west was Sambhar and the trade routes leading to the southern ports, while to the east was the fertile basin of the River Ganga and its tributaries. This hill-fort was named Ajay-meru (Ajay’s hill), which with the passage of time was pronounced Ajmer, and which became the site for a new capital city for the Chauhans.
The descendants of Ajayraj captured the then small town of Delhi from the Tomars and southern Punjab from the Ghaznavi Turks. At the close of the 12th Century, Prithviraj III ruled from Ajmer with ambitions in the south (other kingdoms mostly of his own clansmen in southern Rajasthan and Gujarat), in the north (Punjab and the hill-chiefs of Himachal Pradesh and the south-east (northern Madhya Pradesh)
Located in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan, Taragarh Fort is historically important fort, which was built in 1033 AD by the Chauhan king of Ajmer, Ajayraj II. Earlier, Chauhan king Ajayraj I of Shyampalak had set up a Chauhan military post in the sixth century here. Initially, the name was Ajaymere Durg. In 1505, Prince Prithviraj of Mewar took control of it and named it Taragarh in the name of his queen Tarabai.
In the year 1832, Taragarh Fort Ajmer, situated on the highest the mountain range of the Rajasthan state of Ajmer district, witnessed the Governor General of India, William Bantik, out of his mouth, “Oh the world’s second Gibraltar and Mughal Emperor Akbar, by finding the superiority of Ajmer Had made the largest diocese of his empire.
The 1,885 feet high mountain peak spread over two square miles spread over one side of the fort, deep valley on one side, on the other side, three mountain ranges on the other, the slopes of the third slope and the fourth slope of the hill and settled in the foothills of the hill If you look at the vast Ajmer city then it is a very pleasant adventure.
In the strategic control of Mughal north-central India and in northern Rajasthan, Taragarh fort has the highest importance in the arduous maneuvering of Marathas, Rathore, and Britishers. Due to the natural security and unique architecture of Taragarh.
Shahbudin Ghauri elder brother sultan Mohammad Gilathwas was killed by the King of Taragarh fort, the last Hindu emperor Prithviraj Chauhan (III) of North India. The architecture of Taragarh is unique. From the point of view of architectural architecture in Rajasthan, Kumbhalgarh, Sevana, Ranthambore, Chittorgarh and Taragarh is unmatched.
Among them, the British generals also accepted the specialization of Taragarh fort with open eyes. The unique feature of the fort is the circular wall covering its archway. This is not in any castle of India. There is a small gate to enter. His texture is such that the enemies coming from outside can easily be wiped out and alienated.
In the wall covering the main door, there are fifty rounds to make bullets and arrows from inside. There are 14 turrets all around the fort, on which the Mughals had collected the cannons. These same bastions made the formidable Taragarh invincible. Therefore, Taragarh, which remained subjected, never lost the battle at the door of the fort. Witnessing of the Fifteen Wars the fate of this fort continues to change according to the decisions of the field battle.
In the fortification of Taragarh, fourteen towers have special significance. On the wall of the fort going towards the east from the big door, there are three towers – the veil turret, the dummy turret and the broken turret. The veil is constructed in a turret-it is not visible from a distance. Nowadays the government’s wireless is in it.
This type of turret structure is considered important from the point of view of warfare. Next is the carpenter Burj, who says that Hazrat Bullen Shah was killed in the battle with Sayyad Miran Sahib so that the name of the Burj was recharged by carving. Now the ruins are visible only. Gibson Road to the city passes by itself. After this turret is the Shringar Chauri Burj.
He is the closet of the Lords nowadays. Next to it are four towers- Atta Burj, Peepali Burj, Burj of Ibrahim Shaheed and Darwai Burj. After this, the Bandra turret, the tamarind turret, the window turret and the Fatah turret. In addition to these towers, it is also characterized by a two-kilometer long parakota of the fort. Two cavalries on this parakota could run comfortably simultaneously. First of all the entire city must have been within this parakota.
For centuries Ajaymeru (Ajmer) had been hotly contested between Rajputs and Muslims. It's name, forts and landmarks like the Anasagar lake, are the legacy of Chauhan Rajputs. Islamic influence came with the Delhi Sultans and the Chisti Dargah, while for Rajputs the holy Hindu city of Pushkar next to it was an additional call to arms. Ajaymeru (Ajmer) was liberated from Islamic occupation repeatedly by Chauhans of Ranthambhor, Sesodias of Mewar, and Rathores of Marwar.
Strategic importance of Ajmer
Despite its small size, the Mughals made Ajaymeru (Ajmer) a full-fledged province on the lines of Bengal and Gujarat. The job of its subahdar was to watch over the movements of Rajput armies, forestall any union among the Rajput states, and to protect the Dargah. The mughals holding Ajaymeru (Ajmer) did not have the resources to battle any Rajput kingdom on their own, and had to wait for armies coming from Delhi and Agra.
Ajmer was at the geographic center of Rajasthan and the starting point of every war against the Rajput kingdoms. For the war against Maharana Pratap, after the failure of the Haldighati campaign, Akbar moved to Ajaymeru (Ajmer). For the war against Amar Singh, Jehangir stayed in Ajaymeru (Ajmer) for almost three years. Shah Jahan moved to Ajaymeru (Ajmer) when Raj Singh fortified Chittor. For the Rajput War-I against Mewad and Marwad, Aurangzeb was at Ajmer for two years. The emperor's presence brought the whole weight of the court, high officers, and their ponderous armies.
Rajput War-II
Part I of the Rajput War had ended with the liberation of Jodhpur in 1708 by Ajit Singh and Durgadas Rathore. But part II commenced almost immediately when the Mughals under Bahadur Shah annexed the kingdom of Sawai Jai Singh. They had intended on giving it to his brother Bijai Singh, but on reaching Amber the mughals found that the people were all loyal to Jai Singh, so Amber was annexed to the empire and its name changed to Mominabad, a mosque was built and Sayyid Hussain Khan Barha was placed in charge (January 1708).
When this army had moved south, Jai Singh and Ajit Singh formed an alliance with Amar Singh of Mewar. Their joint forces liberated Jodhpur and Merta and marched to Amber. They defeated the Mughal army in the Battle of Sambhar, and killed the commander Syed Hussain Khan.
The two Rajput chiefs divided the ancient Sambhar district among themselves. In 1709 while Jai Singh liberated Amber, Ajit Singh attacked Ajmer and defeated the Mughal subahdar receiving 45,000 rupees, an elephant and two horses as tribute.
Ajit Singh and Jai Singh forged a larger coalition with small states and thikanas of the area in order to face the inevitable Mughal retaliation. The Jadon Rajputs of Karauli were aided in capturing Hindaun and attacking Syed Hidayatullah, who held Ranthambhore.
Ajit Singh encouraged the Kolis in Gujarat to plunder around Ahmedabad, and Jai Singh compelled the Mughal faujdar of Pur-mandal to retreat and take shelter at Ajmer. Seeing this opening of multiple fronts, the Mughals ultimately sued for peace in 1710. Bahadur Shah then went to pay respects at the Ajmer dargah, while the two victorious Rajas went for religious ceremonies and holy bath in Pushkar.
Bahadur Shah was the last mughal ruler to visit Ajmer. The most important condition of the peace treaty with the Rajputs was that their armies should march to Punjab and subdue the Sikh rising under Banda. However they refused to abide by the terms of this treaty and preferred to strengthen the defences of their capital cities. The death of Maharana Amar Singh II of Mewar (Dec 1710) was an opportunity for the Mughals to break the treaty. They attacked Sambhar in 1711, only to be defeated once again by Ajit Singh.
Mewar painting depicts the victorious Rajput alliance in 1709. Maharana Amar Singh II rides in the center, flanked by Ajt Singh (top) and Jai Singh, and followed by the aged Durgadas Rathore. The Maharana died in 1711.
Taking advantage of Amar Singh's death, in June 1711 the Mughals foolishly plundered a border village of Mewar, bringing in a new threat to Ajaymeru (Ajmer). 20,000 cavalry of the new ruler, Maharana Sangram Singh II, came thundering down to Pur-Mandal. The mughals fled and at Bandanwara near Ajmer a battle took place in which Ranbaz Khan, Shairullah Khan and 2000 men were killed by the Rajputs of Mewar.
Rathore pressure extinguished Islamic influence from Ajaymeru (Ajmer)
Ajit and Jai continued their alliance against Farrukhsiyar, he placated them by abolishing jaziya. To save Ajmer from their aggression he gave Jai Singh Malwa and Ajit Singh Multan. Jai Singh started planning a new and more secure capital from 1713 and did not consider it wise to provoke the mughals till its defences were completed. The Rathore ruler wanted the richer province of Gujarat as the price for sparing Ajmer, but this was not forthcoming, so he continued the war. In 1713 Ajit Singh captured villages in Ajmer that supplied food to the Ajmer dargah, and as a consequence the langar khana of the place was closed during Ramzan, to the consternation of Muslims around India.
Ajit Singh and his sons
In 1714 the Mughals invaded Marwad and compelled Ajit to make peace, but in return he was finally promised Gujarat. Ajit Singh instead of leaving for Gujarat, captured Bhimnal and Jalore. In 1718 Khan-i-Jahan Bahadur, Nazim of Ajmer, defeated and brought to court Churaman Jat and his nephew Rupa. Taking advantage of this, Ajit Singh again attacked Ajmer in 1721 and forbade cow-slaughter and the azaan from mosques. The new emperor Muhammad Shah sent an army to attack him, but a Rajput contingent under Abhay Singh passed unnoticed around Ajmer and sacked mughal territory within 16 miles of Delhi. Ultimately the invaders made terms with Raja Ajit Singh.
Ajmer was left in his charge while Gujarat was promised to be given to him later, on condition that Mughal administration under the emperor's authority continue. But this was not acceptable to the defiant Rathore. Ajit Singh killed the mughal faujdar sent to capture Sambhar. His son Abhay Singh looted Gujarat and adorned the spoils captured from the Mughals in Mehrangarh Fort. The sturdy Bakht Singh Rathore held Ajmer till his death in 1752.
The construction of Jaipur was completed in 1727, and from then Sawai Jai Singh started his expansive designs ending in the Battle of Gangwana in 1741. The Mughal fiefs of Ranthambhor and Narnol were seized by Jaipur. None of the Rajput kingdoms came to aid the mughals against Nadir Shah of Iran. Nadir had plans to visit Ajmer and attack Rajput kingdoms but ultimately left India after sending bombastic letters to them.
Thus the mughal anxiety in protecting Ajmer, and its holy dargah, from Rajput assaults, led to their losing control of Gujarat and Malwa. It only postponed the inevitable as the growing strength of Jaipur and Jodhpur caused the final extinction of Islamic influence from Ajmer.
The city never developed much of an Islamic culture, except in the small enclave around the dargah. In other provinces like Gujarat, Mughal officers had become Nawabs at Surat or Junagadh, but in Ajmer even this was not possible as local Thikanas stubbornly held on to their villages. Out of the 66 Thikanas in Ajmer, the great majority were held by Rathores with the title Thakur. Each had their little forts and armies, impossible to uproot without fighting, while the attacks of the bigger Rajput Kingdoms exhausted the military power of the Mughals sent to hold the city
The tragedy of Taragarh will be said that between 1832 and 1920, the British made a huge breakthrough in this, which resulted in nothing but the remains of the torch, broken bastions, the dargah of Miran Sahib, etc.
besides today. According to the famous historian Diwan Harbillas Sharada of Ajmer, in 1832, the then Governor-General of India, Lord William Mantik, arranged a comprehensive settlement in Taragarh to arrange sanitarium for the treatment of the soldiers of Nasirabad Cantonment. Hence, there remained a sanatorium from 1860 to 1920. From 1033 to 1818, the fort witnessed more war than a hundred.
After the Chauhan’s, the small war that took place between Afghanistan, Mughals, Rajputs, Marathas and the British, in order to keep this fort in their own right can be estimated from these historical facts- 1192 Right of Gauri on the fort, 1202 Lordship of Rajputs, under Sultan Iltutmash in 1226, occupied by Sultan Alauddin Masood in 1242, the rights of Maharana region of Lakha in 1364, the domination of Chhanda Rathod in 1405, in 1455 The right of Wa Sultan Mahmud Khaliji, possession of Sisodia Rajputs of Mewar in 1505, the authority of Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat in 1535, the domination of King Maldeo of Jodhpur in 1538, possession of Haji Khane Pathan in 1557, the right of the Mughals in 1558, and British authority in 1818.
Jagat Pitah Brahma Ji Temple:
Brahma Temple is situated in the Pushkar valley.
Nestled near to the Nag Parbat and the Ana Sagar Lake, the site is considered amazingly beautify.
Brahma Ji Temple is devoted to the Lord Brahma. It’s one of the major pilgrimage sites for Hindu.
This temple is the oldest temple which was constructed around the 14th century built by Rana Lakha (grandparent of Rana Kumbha) of Mewar, who was a fierce warrior with notable architectural achievements.
The temple is situated near Pushkar lake, in Rajasthan. Once Jagatpita killed a Rāksasa with the water of his Kalasha, in doing so, 3 of the lotus petals fell on ground.
Creating 3 parts of the lake. Brahma Ji named the place Push(p)-Kãr. He also performed a Yajña there. Later a Temple was built.
Mayo College and Museum:
Mayo College was established by the 6th Earl of Mayo– the governor of India amidst 1869 and 1872. This College was built to give the best education to the Indian, especially to the Rajputana. This building is made of same white marble used for taj mahal. The main building of the Mayo College was created in the Indo-Saracenic style by the Major Mant, which is famous by the Samuel Swinton Jacob-the State Engineer of Jaipur.
Adhai Din ka Jhopra, Ajmer
was originally a glorious Sanskrit Pathshala & Saraswati Mandir commissioned by Vigraharaja IV the legendary king of Chauhan dynasty.
James Fergusson said that its beauty & surface decoration outcasted all the structures of Persia & Spain.
The temple & pathshala constructed in 1153 AD was destroyed & converted to a Mosque by Qutubuddin Aibak & Iltutmish.
The remnants of its glorious Hindu past is still there, the carvings and the engravings on its pillars speaks of its past.
Dargah Sharif
Dargah Sharif in Ajmer is one of the sacred places in India, which is worshiped by both Hindu and Muslims. This Ajmer Sharif Dargah is the tomb of Moinuddin Chisti and also known as the Ajmer Dargah.
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