Physical features: Rajasthan is the biggest state of India with an area of 342240 sq kms. Rajasthan lies on the north-west border of India between latitudes 230 3’ to 300 11’ and longitudes 690 29’ and 780 17’ sharing a 1070 km long international border with Pakistan. Rajasthan has Punjab and Haryana on the north and north east side, Uttar Pradesh on the east side, Madhya Pradesh on the east, south east and south west sides and Gujrat on the south west side. Aravalli mountain ranges run through Rajasthan diagonally from Delhi on the north-east side to Palanpur on the south-west side. Aravalli mountain ranges form the main watershed of the state dividing Rajasthan into two distinct physical and climatic regions. The area lying on the north-west side of the ranges is all desert with scanty rainfall and seasonal rivers. Whereas, the area lying on the southeast side gets good rainfall, has perennial rivers and has fertile river basins. Ajmer stands on a plateau about 400 metres above sea level, in the middle of the Aravalli mountain ranges. The highest hill ranges in the area rise to 870 metres above sea level. Ajmer is located centrally in Rajasthan and has always enjoyed tremendous strategic standing in the region.
Historical background: Ajmer had a chequered history with pre-historic links. However, it seems that it got its name Ajmer from the word ajay-meru, which means a mountain that is invincible. Chauhans got into prominence in the area sometimes in the sixth century. It seems that Ajmer was founded in the seventh century by Chauhan king Ajay Pal, who is also believed to have built Taragarh fort on the highest hill in the area, which stood at 870 metres above sea level. Taragarh fort is one of the oldest forts of India. The battlements of Taragarh fort run for about 3 kilometres. Ajay Raj Chauhan made Ajmer his capital sometimes in 1113. Prithvi Raj Chauhan was by far the most illustrious ruler of Ajmer. Prithvi Raj was the son of Karpuri Devi the daughter of Anangpal, who was the ruler of Delhi at that time. After the death of Anangpal, Prithvi Raj became the ruler of Ajmer and Delhi. At that time he controlled most of areas of Rajasthan and Northern India. Prithvi Raj Chauhan defeated Mohammad Gouri of Gazni in the first battle of Terain in 1191, but lost to him in the second battle of Terain in 1192. He was the last Hindu emperor of India, who sat on the throne of Delhi. He continually resisted the onslaughts of muslim invaders from the west. After the death of Prithvi Raj Chauhan, the muslim rulers had a dominant presence in Delhi and most parts of northern India. Those were very tumultuous times. During that period, Ajmer was occupied off and on by rulers of Mewar, rulers of Marwar, Marathas, Muslim rulers of Delhi in the north and Muslim nawabs and sultans of the south. Ultimately, when British forces had occupied most of the territories of India and had stabilized their control, they entered into treaty arrangements, individually, with all the ruling princes of Rajputana in the year 1818. Under the treaties, the princely states of Rajputana were brought under British control. However, the rulers were allowed to exercise full powers and freedom in day to day running of the administration of their states. Ajmer and Merwara were constituted as centrally administered districts. An Agent General appointed by the Governor General of India was stationed at Ajmer to function as the representative of the British Government. Political agents were placed in every state, who functioned under the overall guidance and control of the Agent General of Rajputana Agency at Ajmer. An armed garrison of central forces was stationed at Nasirabad for providing muscles to the authority of Agent General.
Ajmer continued as a centrally administered area of the British Government and subsequently, that of the Government of India upto 1950. Thereafter, with the integration of the princely states of Rajputana and the formation of the state of Rajasthan, Ajmer was declared as a centrally administered state in 1950. Subsequently, when Ajmer merged with the state of Rajasthan on 1 November 1956, it was declared as a district and divisional headquarter of the state of Rajasthan. Ajmer is located between latitudes 250-38’ and 260-58’ and longitudes 730-54’ and 750-22’. It lies 135 km west of Jaipur and 391 km southwest of Delhi. It is bounded by Nagaur in the north, Bihlwara in the south, Jaipur and Tonk in the east and and Pali in the west.
Educational facilities: During the British period the facilities for education were extremely limited in the country. Princely states of Rajputana were no exception. Before independence, there were only two post graduate colleges in Rajasthan at Ajmer and Jaipur, three degree colleges at Udaipur, Jodhpur and Bikaner and three intermediate colleges at Kota, Alwar and Pilani. There were no engineering colleges and polytechnics. There was no university. Under the context, Ajmer was fortunate to have a string of excellent educational institutions at that time. Board of High School and Intermediate Education for Rajputana was functioning from Ajmer and all High Schools and Intermediate Colleges of princely states of Rajputana were affiliated to it.
Government College Ajmer was one of the oldest institutions of the country. It was started as an English school at Ajmer in the year 1836. Subsequently, it became an intermediate college in 1968, degree college in 1896 and post-graduate college in 1946. Government College Ajmer was initially affiliated to Calcutta University, thereafter to Allahabad University on its establishment in 1987 and subsequently to Agra University, when it came into existence in 1927. Finally, with the merger of Ajmer-Merwara in the state of Rajasthan in 1956, it was affiliated to the University of Rajasthan. Presently, it is affiliated to Maharshi Dayanand University, which was established at Ajmer in 1987.
Mayo College is another well known and prestigious institution of Ajmer. It was established in the year 1875 by Lord Mayo, who was the Viceroy of India from 1869 to 1872. The broad objective was to develop an institution, which would serve as an Eton of India for the schooling of children of ruling princes and nobles of India. It is one of the oldest fully residential public schools with liberal facilities for outdoor games and sports, including horse riding for all inmates. The alumni of Mayo College include a number of rulers of princely states of Rajasthan and a large scattering of distinguished persons of the country.
Apart from Government College and Mayo College, Ajmer had a number of other well established educational institutions for boys and girls, which made Ajmer an educational hub of Rajasthan in the pre-independence period.
Pushkar: Pushkar is one of the oldest towns of India, situated about 14 kilometres from Ajmer on the shores of Pushkar Lake in Aravalli Hills. According to mythology it had its beginnings with Mahayagna of Lord Bramha at Pushkar. Pushkar is a temple town with temples and ghats developed all round the Pushkar lake. Temple of Brahma is one of the very few temples of Lord Bramha in the country and outside the country. Pushkar is the holiest of the holy places in the country. It is commonly known as Thirth Raj and is one of the five dhams or pilgrim centres of the Hindus. Pushkar is a great tourist attraction and draws people from the country and outside the country throughout the year.
Dargah of Sufi Saint Moinuddin Chisti: Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti was a sufi saint. He was born in Persia in the year 1141 and came to Ajmer in the year 1191. He died in the year 1236. Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti was gradually built by contributions from Moghul Emperor Akbar, who visited the dargah a number of times during his reign, Emperor Shah Jahan, Nizam of Hyderabad and other donors. Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti draws pilgrims of all religions and faiths throughout the year and is a great tourist attraction of Ajmer.
Ajmer in 1958: Ajmer was a small sleepy town in 1958, living almost within its compact shell, covered by Arawalli hill ranges on all sides. It was politically dormant at that time. People were by and large simple and were used to leading quiet, hassle free and satisfying lives.