Ajmer - Lake, Jain temple, and Islamic Quarter

 


While Pushkar is full of foreign tourists, you won't see any in the nearby big city of Ajmer. It's a shame because Ajmer is a beautiful place, with a few distinct areas. You have the big lake, Ana Sagar, several Jain monuments and temples, and a vibrant Islamic Quarter with an important Sufi religious site, Khwaja Gharib Nawaz Dargah Sharif, and the ruined Adhai Din Ka Jhopra mosque, built in the 1190s. You also find other lesser attractions, plus the magnificent Taragarh Fort, standing on a hill above Ajmer, with a secluded village in it. (See post about Taragarh Fort.) If you visit Pushkar, you should definitely visit Ajmer at least as a day-trip.


Ana Sagar Lake
Foggy in the morning






Lake and city view from Hindu temple








Hindu temple in park



Kirti Stambh Jain tower








Soni Ji Ki Nasiya Jain Temple

































A random church




Akbari Fort & Museum




Islamic Quarter




Khwaja Gharib Nawaz Dargah Sharif






































Adhai Din Ka Jhopra mosque















Victoria Jubilee Clock Tower






Ana Sagar Lake
Sunset as seen from the Pushkar-bound bus








Popular posts from this blog

Countries

Image
     The world is yours. Where do you want to go next? Featured: Those countries are featured where posts with useful information are available—such as maps, practical details, guides, instructions, etc.—in addition to the many accompanying photos. 
More »

Avatar Mountains, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park - Day 1: Yuanjiajie & Golden Whip Stream

Image
  Located about 30 kilometers from the city of Zhangjiajie, near the town of Wulingyuan, is China’s oldest national park: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. This is the place that inspired the floating mountains in the movie Avatar, earning it the popular nickname "Avatar Mountains". The park covers a large area, with shuttle buses, cable cars, and even lifts operating inside to connect the main scenic spots. (Shuttle buses are free with the ticket; the rest are at an additional cost.) There are popular cliff-edge paths as well as quieter hiking trails. The national park is divided into 4 main areas, and the entrance ticket is valid for four consecutive days, which is useful if you want to explore each earea to some extent. It's not likely that you can hike every trail in four days unless you’re an extreme walker. The four main areas consist of Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, and Huangshi Village (Huangshizhai), and between them are other locations such as the Gol...
More »

Leshan (very basic) tourist information with map

Image
  Many visitors come for just a few hours on a day trip from Chengdu—but that’s a mistake. You need a full day to properly visit the Leshan Giant Buddha , see it from the river, and explore the nearby Oriental Buddha Park and Wuyou Temple hill. At a leisurely pace, it could easily take two days. You can also do a day trip to Emeishan from Leshan by public bus, but in my opinion, it's better to stay overnight there—perhaps in a monastery below the Golden Summit. So, for Leshan alone, you’ll need at least one night, preferably two. The city itself is quite sprawling, modern, and tidy, but it doesn't offer many attractions. The train station is a bit far from the center, but public transport is a good option to reach both the city center and the Leshan Giant Buddha. Below are the tourist basics. 
More »

Leshan Giant Buddha - Walking tour and boat ride

Image
  Located near Chengdu, Leshan is home to the tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. Carved out of a cliff face, the 71 meters tall statue overlooks the junction of the Min and Dadu Rivers. You can walk up to the statue’s head and look down, walk down to its feet and look up, and view it from a boat. The area also offers distant but nice city views. You could do the walk and the boat ride easily in a short day, along with a visit to the Mahao Cliff Tombs and Wuyou Temple, both located between the Giant Buddha and the cruise port. In a longer day's program you can also include a visit to the Oriental Buddha Park, a separate and fairly large attraction (separate ticket required) that is well worth seeing — see the post about the Oriental Buddha Park . 
More »