AjmerKhwaja Garib Nawaz’s city — the Ajmer Sharif dargah, Ana Sagar’s lakeside and Pushkar a short drive away
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Ajmer in one minute
Ajmer — live weather, population, hidden places and cost of living, auto-updated.
Ajmer, the Chauhan founding of Ajayaraja, is Rajasthan’s city of prayers — the Ajmer Sharif Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Garib Nawaz to millions, draws qawwali nights and urs crowds from every faith. The Ana Sagar lake (1130s) holds Akbar’s Daulat Bagh pavilions, while Taragarh fort watches from the Aravalli crest. Census 2011 counted about 5.5 lakh in the UA.
The city layers schoolboy and Sufi memories — Mayo College’s 1875 chiefs’ campus, the Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra’s 1199 arches, and the Nareli Jain hill-shrine’s white steps — while Pushkar, the Brahma temple town and its camel fair, waits eleven kilometres over the Nag Pahar ridge.
Fast facts
| Status | Municipal corporation |
| District | Ajmer (HQ) |
| Founded | 7th century — Ajayaraja (Chauhans) |
| District population (2011) | 25,45,298 |
| City population (2011) | 5,42,321 (corp) — UA 5,51,101 |
| Elevation | ≈486 m in the Aravalli fold |
| Shrine | Ajmer Sharif Dargah — Garib Nawaz |
| Languages | Marwari · Hindi · Urdu · English |
| Main station | Ajmer Jn (AII) — Western Rly hub |
| Nearest airport | Kishangarh (AJMER) — ~30 km |
| Heritage | Taragarh · Adhai Din · Ana Sagar |
| School legacy | Mayo College (1875) |
| District literacy | 69.3% (2011) |
| Famous for | Dargah · Pushkar orbit · Ana Sagar |
City map
Demographics CENSUS 2011
Last official census — 2021 census deferred, estimates update on release.
5,51,102 residents
per 1,000 males
municipal area (2011)
≈60,621 children (est.)
🌟 Hidden & heritage places
Ajmer beyond the postcards — quiet places and lanes most guides skip.
Ajmer Sharif Dargah
The Chishti shrine — the Nizam gate, the deg-cauldron kitchens, the qawwali courtyards and the urs lamp-nights.
Directions ↗Ana Sagar & Daulat Bagh
The 1130s lake — Akbar’s marble pavilions, the island garden and the sunset boat rows.
Directions ↗Taragarh (Garh Beetli)
The first-rank hill fort — the Miran Sahib dargah inside, the rampart climbs and the city panoramas.
Directions ↗Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra
The 1199 monument — the screen-wall calligraphy, the corbelled domes and the courtyard columns.
Directions ↗Mayo College & museum
The 1875 boarding legacy — the sandstone campus, the horse-show mornings and the college museum.
Directions ↗Nareli temple complex
The modern hill-shrine — the 24 white tirthankar mini-shrines climbing the ridge and the granite main hall.
Directions ↗Weekend getaways
Approximate road distances from Ajmer.
Cost of living
Indicative monthly estimates for a single person — verify locally before deciding.
| 1 BHK rent (city) | ₹3,000 – 6,000 / mo |
| 2 BHK rent (city) | ₹6,000 – 11,000 / mo |
| Meal at a local eatery | ₹70 – 150 |
| Groceries (single, month) | ₹3,500 – 5,500 |
| Utilities (basic) | ₹1,200 – 2,500 |
| Monthly total (est.) | ₹10,000 – 17,000 |
Estimates only · tier-2 pilgrim city · updated with market data over time
Top industries
What actually runs Ajmer.
Pilgrim-tourism economy
The dargah-and-Pushkar pipeline — hotel rows, travel desks and the shrine-supply markets.
Tourism ↗Mayo College & university belt
The education city — Mayo’s campus, the central university and the coaching rows of the district.
Education ↗Ajmer Jn & workshop
The Western Railway hub — the divisional offices, the carriage workshops and the junction economy.
Rail hub ↗Silver jewellery & bandhej
The craft bazaars — silver ornament lanes, bandhej-dye houses and the Itwara-bazaar trades.
Craft ↗Marble & granite trade
The Makrana-orbit stone economy — cutting yards, polishing units and the dealer showrooms.
Mining ↗Onion & oilseed trades
The farm belt — onion mandis, mustard-oil presses and the Rajasthan-state seed trades.
Agro ↗Cantonment & store depots
The garrison economy — Nasirabad-orbit cantonments, ordnance depots and the service families.
Defence ↗Top restaurants & food
Where locals actually eat — local counters, classics and street institutions.
Dargah Bazaar food rows
The pilgrim food line — sohan-halwa counters, kebab grills and the malpua mornings.
Directions ↗Marwari thali houses
The desert kitchens — dal-baati-churma plates, gatte-ki-sabzi and the bajra-roti stacks.
Directions ↗Nizam-gate grill rooms
The old grill streets — mutton seekh plates, tikka platters and the biryani pots.
Directions ↗Sohan-halwa & mithai houses
The sweet belt — the famous sohan-halwa tins, ghewar season and the festival boxes.
Directions ↗Kutchery Road cafe strip
The new-city cafe mile — coffee roasts, sandwich bars and the student crowds.
Directions ↗Style-verified from local guides · Sep 2026 · hours change — call ahead
Markets & shopping
Dargah Bazaar & Itwara Bazaar
The old-city market pair — chadar shops, silver lanes and the pilgrim-shopping arcades.
Directions ↗Kutchery Road & malls
The modern retail — showrooms, multiplexes and the food-court weekends.
Directions ↗Jonpura & santha mornings
The utility markets — vegetable rows, woolen trades and the winter bazaars.
Directions ↗Festival & fair calendar
Ajmer Sharif Urs
The death-anniversary of Garib Nawaz — six days of qawwali, the Mehfilkhana mehfils and the lakh-pilgrim city.
Pushkar Camel Fair orbit
The world-famous fair eleven km away — the camel trades, the mela grounds and the Pushkar ghats.
Diwali & Ana Sagar lights
The lamp festival — the lakeside lightings and the bazaar rows.
Gangaur & Teej seasons
The spring festivals — gauri processions, the mehendi bazaars and the old-city lights.
October – March
The Aravalli winter — dargah visits, Pushkar runs and the food streets.
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FAQ
What is Ajmer famous for?
The Ajmer Sharif Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Ana Sagar lake, Taragarh fort, Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra and the Pushkar orbit 11 km away.
What is the population of Ajmer?
Census 2011: about 5,42,321 in the corporation city, UA 5,51,101 (queue figure 5,51,102, pending reconciliation); Ajmer district 25,45,298.
What is the pincode of Ajmer?
The city starts at 305001; Ajmer spans 305001–305812 across the old city, Vaishali Nagar and the Pushkar road belt.
Which places should I visit there?
The dargah courtyards, Ana Sagar’s pavilions, Taragarh’s climbs and Mayo College — with Pushkar as the same-day run.