Ajmer-e-Sharief
Ajmer city is a famous pilgrimage place for Hindus as well as for Muslims alike who come to pray at the revered Dargah, or the holy shrine of the popular 13th century Sufi Saint Hazrat Khwaja Moin-ud-din Hasan Chishti. The Dargah, together with its mosques is believed to be a place of wish fulfillment for those who pray with devout and pure hearts. Every year, the six-day Urs Festival marks the death anniversary of Chishti. During this festival thousands of pilgrims of different faiths visit the Dargah from all over the world in prayer and celebration.

Ajmer was founded by Ajayadeva, an 11th-century Rajput ruler. It was annexed shortly afterwards by the Delhi Sultanate in 1193, but was returned to the local rulers upon payment of tribute. During the medieval period, Ajmer became a part of the mighty Mughal Empire and was then an important military center. Military campaigns against local Rajput rulers were initiated from Ajmer .

At the end of 12 th century, a Sufi saint Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti, the patron saint of Ajmer , arrived here. Born in Asfahan in 1135 he lost his father at a young age. As time passed, he came in touch with a mystic, Hazrat Ibrahim Qandoozi, who left his young mind with an impression that was never to be erased. Soon after, he recognized a higher calling and left for Khorasan.

Chishti traveled far and wide and during his search, met spiritual guide Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harooni, who accepted him as a mureed (spiritual disciple) and with whom he met mystics and sought the Truth. In 1186 he was appointed successor by his spiritual guide and a year later, after his visit to Medina , ensued on his journey to Ajmer .

The revered Sufi saint arrived in Ajmer in 1192 as an ambassador of peace and humanism. Popularly known as Gharib Nawaz (protector of the poor), he dedicated his entire life to the service of mankind. His simple life spanned almost a 100 years and he embraced death in solitude in 1236 while he had withdrawn to his cell for six days, asking not to be disturbed. The Dargah erected by Humayun also has mosques that were built by rulers like Shah Jahan, Jahangir and Akbar.

Emperor Akbar made several pilgrimages to Ajmer on foot and also built the kos minars (brick pillars marking every two miles) along the road from Agra for pilgrims. He also built a fort here called Akbar's Palace. The Emperor Shahjahan built marble pavilions around the Ana Sagar Lake in the 17th century. The Scindia rulers of Gwalior took over Ajmer , which was then taken over by the British in 1818. The British also founded the prestigious school, Mayo College , in Ajmer in 1875.

Birla Mandir
A new temple, also known as Birla Temple, built entirely of marble, this is a showcase of the continuing skill of the mason and the sculptor

Eklingji Temple
Eklingji, the city dotted with temples, is located about twelve miles to the North of Udaipur in Rajasthan. 22 kms from Udaipur, The temple occupies an area of about 2500 sq. feet and is about 65 feet in height. Eklingji is a complex of 108 ancient temples, incised out of sandstone and marble. The temple, built in AD 734, to propagate the blessings of Lord Shiva, worshipped as the Ultimate Reality, the supreme power, and the wholesome one - Parabhrama, is venerated by the Mewar household.

Eklingji (Shiva) whose temple is located here, is said to be the guardian deity of Mewar. This deity was regarded as the virtual ruler, by the Maharajas of Mewar - who considered themselves to be regents (Dewans) under Eklingji. Ekligji (Kailashpuri) is a town situated in a beautiful valley and it attracts multitudes of visitors throughout the year.

This temple is said to have been founded by Acharya Viswaroopa a contemporary of Adi Sankaracharya and is linked with the Sharada Math at Dwaraka founded again by Adi Sankaracharya.

The temple area is fortified and a strong wall runs around it. The main entrance to the temple on the Western side welcomes visitors into a big hall resting on profusely carved pillars. In this hall, is a silver image of Nandi. There are two more Nandis in the temple, one made of black stone and the other of brass.

Other deities housed in the temple complex include Parvati, Ganesh, Ganga, Kartikeya , Yamuna and Saraswathi. There are also small temples dedicated to Ambamata, Kalka Mata and Ganesh in the temple complex. There is another temple called Nathon Ka Mandir in the temple complex with inscriptions dating back to the 10th century CE. No worship is offered here.

There are two tanks situated on the Northern side of the temple - Karz Kund and Tulsi Kund. Water from these tanks is utilized for temple services. Temple services are performed in a very elaborate manner in the Vedic and Tantric styles - everyday beginninG at 4 in the morning. Shivratri is an important religious event, when the image of the deity is decked with jewellery.

The town of Eklingji is full of temples. There are about 70 temples in all. Mention must be made of the Sas-Bahu marble temple, dating back to the 11th century. It is a fine specimen of ancient art with sculptural details. The Adbhudji Jain temple is of black marble and it dates back to the 15th century CE. Other temples in Kailashpuri include those of Pataleshwar Mahadeo, Arbada Mata, Rathasan Devi, Vindhyavasini Devi.

Dilwara Jain Temples
The Jain temples at Dilwara, near Mount Abu are considered to be masterpieces of temple architecture

These are the main temples in Dilwara

* The Vimal Vashi temple
* The Luna Vashi temple
* The Adinath temple
* The Parshvanath temple

The Vimalvashi temple was built by the commander Vimalshah on the order of King Bhimdev in 1031 A.D. It took around 1,500 workers, several years to build. There are forty eight pillars, sixteen pillars have the images of females figures in dancing poses. The rang mandap is a beautiful piece of architecture. The images that can be seen are Saraswati, Lakshmi as well as scenes from the princely courts of Ayodhya and Takshashila. Navchauki is a platform divided into nine parts. The artistic roots are decorated with elephants and goddesses. Lunvasahi temple has the image of the Jain tirthankara Neminath. Sculptures in stone, elaborate carvings, beautiful pillars, dome shaped roofs give a majestic and surreal look to the temple. There are sixteen images of the goddess of knowdege and also carved are glimpses from Lord Krishnas life. The footsteps of Dada Sahab and the kirti Stambha are also worth a mention. Apart from these, the temples dedicated to Rishabhdev, Parshvanath and Lord Mahavir are also classical examples of art. Mount Abu, where the Dilwara temples are located, is referred to as Arbudgiri in ancient Hindu and Jain scriptures and is the only hill-station in Rajasthan as well as a very important Jain pilgrimage center.

Ranakpur
Ranakpur in the state of Rajasthan is one of the five most important Jain pilgrimage. It is home to an exceptionally beautiful temple complex in the Aravali ranges and a must visit for the tourists coming to this region