Away With The Steiners

10 Things to do in Ajmer; and why I’ll never visit again. 

Sarah Steiner

Would you read a blog about the things to do in Ajmer if I said I wouldn’t visit again? Well, possibly. I mean, I probably will.  We love India and embrace its chaos and colour.  But this particular trip – our sixth time to Rajasthan as a family – hit differently.  

It started with a pigeon in our hotel bedroom.  And with some of the sites of Ajmer in between it ended with a post-monsoon hospital stay in New Delhi.  

So here we go.  All the things to do in Ajmer and sites to see in this often overlooked small Rajasthani city.  

Plus, some very honest feedback about why the things to do in Ajmer don’t necessarily outweigh the challenge of actually navigating the crevices of this unlikely and overpacked pilgrimage Mecca…

So, what was it about Ajmer? 

I’m not one for penning fixed negative opinions on a positive geared travel blog.  But writing now before I’ve left Ajmer and just survived (narrowly) a rickshaw through unbeatably ram-packed body-to-body crevices for streets outside the Dargah in the monsoon has me already confident in the title of this blog.  

Albeit we visited in monsoon season. And it is our sixth trip to India as a family.  

We love Rajasthan by the way.  But something about Ajmer and the things to do – or lack of – had us missing the glorious sunshine and colours of Jaisalmer.  We miss the colours of Jodhpur.  And the friendly pink-hued markets and palaces of Jaipur. 

This trip was meant to be a diversion from Goa in the height of monsoon season.  There’s not everything open at this time of year in the south and tropical viruses are rife.   

So, we chose Ajmer, Pushkar and Udaipur as a more northern and calmer choice away from the warnings of wet weather and viruses.  

Things to do in Ajmer visiting the mosque.
Sorry, Ajmer.

A little bit about Ajmer, Rajasthan 

Ajmer is understated.  I’ll give it that.  It is a bustling city in the state of Rajasthan, India.  

It’s a small (comparatively) city by Indian standards with a population of just 800,000.  And it isn’t on the main tourist trail as with the other Rajasthani cities of Jaipur, Jodhpur or Jaisalmer.  

Rather it is unabashedly a huge site of pilgrimage.  Most of the things to do in Ajmer are cultural sights as the city is an important pilgrimage destination for Jains, Muslims and Hindus. 

But little did we know the congestion, crowds and hygiene standards of Ajmer on our visit would really challenge even our travel standards after years of galivanting all over India.   

Read on and I’ll tell you about the good and bad. 

Why does anyone visit Ajmer? 

The main thing to do in Ajmer is a visit to the 13th century shrine of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti.  Chishti was unanimously regarded as a great saint after his passing. The tomb (dargah) of Chishti became a deeply venerated site following the preacher’s death in 1236AD.

Mughal Emperor Akbar visited the shrine many times in pilgrimage and even once with his Hindu wife to commemorate the memory of the saint.  It has since then become the most holy site of pilgrimage for Muslims in the whole of India. 

But as a non-Muslim visitor in India, it’s only fair to ask the question of what is there to see in Ajmer.  

The truth is the main reason for visiting Ajmer as a traveller is the proximity to the neighbouring small city of Pushkar. 

Pushkar is less than 15km by road and only takes 30 minutes to go between the two.  But Pushkar does not have a railway station and so the only chance of connecting to Pushkar by rail in Rajasthan is to arrive in Ajmer first. 

So, without further ado (and without wishing to offend the questionable reasons for visiting Ajmer itself) let’s talk about Ajmer first.  

We did visit.  And some sites we even visited twice.  

Let’s talk about Ajmer and why (or is it?) it is worth visiting.

Best time to visit Ajmer

Ajmer is part of the huge desert state of Rajasthan.  It’s hard to believe this desert state does in fact become affected and part of India’s wet monsoon season.  (We certainly didn’t believe it!).  

The best time to visit Ajmer is the same as much of Rajasthan and to make the most of the winter months from October to March. The winter in India is a pleasant temperature ranging anywhere from 8 degrees Celsius during the cooler nights to 32 degrees Celsius in the day. 

While we may have opted not to visit Goa in the height of monsoon season, don’t be fooled like us that the desert state is dry.  We visited Ajmer this time in August only days after severe flooding in the city region. 

Rain, rain go away. Ajmer is better on a sunny day.

Things to do in Ajmer 

Even if you are only passing through Ajmer for the convenience of the train station you might have time to explore and be wondering what is worth seeing. 

Here is what we rate as 10 of the best things to do in Ajmer without need for a day tour or excursion out of the city.

1. Ajmer Sharif Dargah / Dargah of Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti 

A dargah is a shrine or tomb built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint or Dervis.  The most famous of things to do in Ajmer and the main reason that the city of Ajmer is such a site of pilgrimage is for the famous dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti. 

Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti was a Sufi saint from Persia who came to Ajmer in 1192 and died here in 1236. 

And as with most of the famous sites in India, the shrine in Ajmer is connected to the more well-known story of the Taj Mahal through the Mughal emperors.  The tomb gained significance during the time of the Mughals and many of the emperors added buildings here.  The shrine was completed by Emperor Humayun.  

Humayun was the father of Akbar hence the name of the attached Akbari Masjid at the front of the shrine.  And Akbar was the grandfather of Shah Jahan who commissioned the Taj Mahal. 

In terms of how famous the shrine in Ajmer is, it is one of the most holy sites of pilgrimage for Muslims and the most famous and the most visited Sufi Shrine in the country.  

Welcome to the most visited Sufi shrine in India.
We definitely didn’t know just how famous the dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti is.

Visiting the Ajmeri Shrine / Things to do in Ajmer 

The street approaching the dargah is well-known for its food, craft items and gota embroidery work.  But in honesty visiting the shrine as a tourist is a whole another story. 

It is ram-jammed packed in the narrow streets leading up to the shrine and masjid entrance.  I know that it is a revered site of pilgrimage.  And no doubt the smalls food stalls and what look like makeshift cafes do a booming trade.  

But on the day that we visited (and the second day too after mistakenly heading towards the shrine again) it was unbelievable.  The crowds are literally back-to-back people trudging in a steady people-jam in the direction of the shrine. 

And it didn’t help it had been raining heavily the night before and the streets were sludge and aflush with rubbish.  

There was the occasional whiff of kachori or something frying.  But if you’ve any type of claustrophobia or concern of crowds I don’t recommend it.  

Any notion of what might have been pandemic-inducing closeness was forefront in my mind as we trudged in time with our now peers.  

The streets might more be described as crevices for their narrow build and sludge-like filth on the ground.  And just as assumptions on the thankfully pedestrian allocation of the inner shrine area were one thing to be thankful for, a motorbike or auto crams on past… 

But this is the most famous of things to do in Ajmer.  

Albeit I claimed I wouldn’t visit again but we did it twice.  And I can’t honestly say you should visit Ajmer without sighting at least the historic shrine and the Jhopra Mosque.  

It doesn’t cost to enter but you will need to cover your head to enter the Ajmeri Dargah.

2. Akbari Masjid / Akbari Mosque in Ajmer Sharif Dargah 

This is part of the famous dargah too.  The main entrance is through the Nizam Gate at the front of the dargah.  And just inside, is the recognisable green and white mosque, Akbari Masjid. 

The mosque was constructed in 1571 and is now an Arabic and Persian school for religious education. 

The iconic green and white of Akbari Masjid just inside Nazim Gate.
Men taking ablutions inside the Dargah.

3. Nizam Gate, Shahjahani Gate and Buland Darwaza in Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Also inside the Dargah of Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti are two more gates of significance.  (That is, if you’ve made it through the crowds and labyrinth of alleyways to get this far).  Now you need to know what else to look out for. 

The first gate at the main entrance to the mosque and shrine is Nizam Gate. 

The next gate is called Shahjahani Gate (after Emperor Shah Jahan).  However, this gate is known as ‘Nakkarkhana’ because of the two large drums – nakkaras – fixed above it. 

A third gate leads into the dargah courtyard.  This is Buland Darwaza which was erected in the 16th century. 

The incredible Nizam Gate at the entrance to Ajmer Sharif Dargah.
Join the crowds heading for the illustrious Nizam Gate.

4. Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra 

Beyond the shrine of Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti on the outskirts of Ajmer is the incredible ruins of the Adhai-di-ka-Jhonpra mosque.  This is one of India’s oldest mosques, built in the typical Indo-Islamic style of the time with many intricately carved pillars. 

This is one of the most well-known things to do in Ajmer.  And as well as being one of the icons of Ajmer the mosque is also one of the oldest in India built in 1153AD. 

But to continue the honesty streak here it really was sad to see the state of Din Ka Jhopra.  Maybe it was heightened with the recent rainfall and washed out leading up to the mosque. But even the care of rubbish and state of the grounds was heartbreaking to see on such a majestic old monument.  

The mosque is definitely worth a visit if you have one day in Ajmer. 

How’s that for a mosque built in the 12th century?!
Some of the incredibly carved pillars inside Adhai-di-ka-Jhonpra mosque.

5. Delhi Gate (in Ajmer) 

Delhi Gate is one of the lesser listed but much used historic sites in Ajmer. The familiarly named gate is a massive arched gateway leading towards Dargah Sharif.  It was constructed in 1571 AD by Mughal Emperor Akbar. 

There is a small (compatibly) pillared hall on the right-hand side of the gate which was historically used by guards. 

Today the gateway is still part of the main pilgrimage route for pedestrians heading to Dargah Sharif. 

The ever-busy Delhi gate proudly standing on the main pedestrian route to Ajmeri Sharif Dargah.

6. Ana Sagar Lake and Baradari 

Definitely the dargah is the main attraction of Ajmer.  But the huge man-made Ana Sagar Lake is impressive in size and interesting for a wander as well. 

From what we read the lake becomes chocka busy in the summer months with boat trips and day tours out to the small island in the middle.  We walked some way around the waterfront promenade and checked out the parks nearby too.  

There are a lot of statues along the waterfront (weirdly of animals from out of the region).  And further around the lake front is an enclosed park and the waterfront marble pavilions of Anasagar Baradari. 

I promised animal statues on the Ana Sagar Lake promenade right?
The promenade along Ana Sagar Lake is another of those sites to see that would be undoubtedly better in the sunshine.

7. Jain Temple / Soni Ji Ki Nasiyan (Red) Temple 

This marvellous Jain Temple is one of the major monuments to visit in Ajmer.  The temple was built in 1865 and is decorated inside with gold, silver and precious stones as well as intricate diorama depicting the Jain concept of the ancient world. 

If you haven’t yet visited a Jain Temple in India, then this one is an incredible example of typical Jain style architecture complete with sculptures of Jain scholars. 

8. Ajmer Fort and Government Museum / Things to do in Ajmer 

The historical Ajmer Fort is right in the centre of the old city and today houses the Ajmer Government Museum.   The fort is popularly called Akbari Fort as it was constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar to honour the Sufi saint Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti. 

I’m not going to lie in that we didn’t go inside the museum.  We visited the fort exterior to check it out. But in the rain and closing in weather and challenges of finding somewhere new to stay in Ajmer we weren’t in a museum mood. 

It was once the residence of Prince Salim, the son of the Emperor Akbar, and like many of India’s government museums it presently houses a collection of Mughal and Rajput armoury and sculpture.

Ajmer Fort and the Government Museum of Ajmer.

9. Dargah Bazar / Ajmer Muslim Quarter 

Dargah Bazar and the shopping streets spilling out from Ajmer Sharif Dargah are a maze of bustle and all things Indian bazar.  The main market starts from right outside the shrine stretching in both directions towards the railway station and back to the Jhonpra Masjid.  

This part of the market is stocked with flowers, incense and candles and flower chadars (sheets) for offerings at prayer in the shrine.  

And behind the masjid are rows of small nooks and cranny-like restaurants and stalls.  There is chai and kachori and other snacks unidentifiable to the passing tourist but with queues and crowds that suggest well otherwise. 

Gulab Jaman and a friendly vendor getting ready for the day in Dargah Bazar, Ajmer.
It’s busy. Just trust me.
Incredible colours, scents and sounds from all directions in the very busy Dargah Bazar.

10. Victoria Jubilee Clock Tower

It’s hard to miss the large Victoria Jubilee Clock Tower.  If you are arriving in Ajmer by train the clock tower is just beyond the main entrance to Ajmer Junction Railway Station.  

It is one of the historical landmarks of Ajmer dating back to the time of British rule and erected in the late 19thcentury to commemorate Queen Victoria’s 60-year Diamond Jubilee. 

Where to eat in Ajmer / Restaurants and cafes in Ajmer

This is technically not the usual for a list of things to do in Ajmer.  But when you get there and have time to waste and/or you’ve decided to skip Ajmer and wait for your train you’ll want to know where to eat.  And where to wait that’s safe and clean. 

We found Mango Masala restaurant and café in Ajmer, and it is hands down the best place we found to eat in Ajmer. 

The restaurant is open from 9am every day and has two separate restaurant areas inside the building.  There is good coffee in the morning.  (Because let me assure you we weren’t about to trust the pigeon-room hotel for their included breakfast when they didn’t even have a restaurant onsite!). And they even have WIFI. 

If you have spare time in between trains and want to get out of Ajmer Railway Station for a bit, we recommend Mango Masala. 

Chole Bature is always a favourite for breakfast, lunch or dinner in our family.
Dinner at Mango Masala in Ajmer.

Getting TO Ajmer / How to get to Ajmer

Ajmer Junction is a busy railway junction connecting the larger cities of Rajasthan and the nearby smaller tourist town of Pushkar.  There is no train station in Pushkar, so Ajmer Junction is the stop for Pushkar too. 

It is easy to get a direct Chair Class train from Udaipur to Ajmer and onwards from Ajmer to Jaipur.  

Where to stay in Ajmer / And where NOT to stay in Ajmer…

Well, as mentioned before the hotel we chose was not one we’d recommend.  Arriving in the dark from Udaipur by train and finding our way by rickshaw to the hotel we had booked online was adventure enough. But the streets of Ajmer at the time we visited were filthy and sodden with mud and rubbish after flooding and rain the days before. 

We were doubtful on even arriving to the hotel and sent Gavin up to check out the room first.  

We’ve stayed in a whole range of accommodation all around the world.  We’ve been travelling fulltime for more than five and half years by this stage and I’d say we’re pretty flexible when it comes to hotels.  But first impressions of the one we picked were grim.  The room was bearable.  It has clean sheets on one of two beds and a functioning passable bathroom.  We checked in and asked for new sheets on the bed.  And it was only while we waited that we realised there was an ENTIRE WINDOW missing from one of the upper windows to the street! 

We called reception again.  And they sent up a guy. 

He checked out the window and found the dropped piece of taped up cardboard that had previously been replacing the glass panel where the window should have been.  

Well.  The cardboard itself was absolutely covered in pigeon shit.  

The guy sort of shrugged and started taping it back up as we sat in some disbelief and wondering internally whether we were about to head out on the streets of Ajmer in the dark to find a new home for the night.  

That was until a pigeon flew out of the corner of the room heading for the now open window! 

Enough.  We changed rooms immediately.  We requested new sheets on all beds (and checked the window situation).  And so began our two days in Ajmer in the post-flood weekend of the monsoon. 

Where to otherwise stay in India when we aren’t finding suitable places to stay in Ajmer

Pigeons aside there are some great places to stay in India.  These are the hotels and accommodation we use regularly on our travels in India and that we can recommend for your trip. 

Inside our room at Wanderlust Guesthouse in Jaisalmer.
The beautiful from of Jaipur Haveli in the heart of the Pink City.

More about travel planning for India and beyond…

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel. 

Read more from travel in South Asia

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