AJMEER, a city of Hindostan, in the province of Ajmeer. It is situated on the slope of a hill, and was nearly ruined in the long period of anarchy and misgovernment which prevailed in Central India prior to 1819. It was acquired by the British from Scindia in 1818, when it was in a state of the utmost desolation and decay. After this period it rapidly improved; and in 1823 commerce had revived, and the population had been more than tripled. Bishop Heber, who visited it in 1825, mentions, that it is a well-built town, of moderate size. The buildings are chiefly white-washed; and the surrounding rocks have some thorny trees and brush-wood on them, which hide their barrenness, and make a good back-ground to the little ruinous mosques and Mussulman tombs which are scattered round the circuit of this holy city. Above, on the mountain top, is a very remarkable fortress, called Taraghur, nearly two miles in circuit, but, from its irregular shape and surface, not capable of containing more than 1200 men. It consists of a plain stone-wall along the edge of a mountain, strengthened with a few round bastions; and it has an abundant supply of good water in all seasons, from cisterns cut in the rock. The works of this fortress are now going fast to decay, as it is not the policy of the British government to rely, for their security, on fortresses. The old palace and garden of Shah Jehan still exist, and the former contains several habitable rooms. Ajmeer is renowned as a place of pilgrimage, the great attraction being the tomb of Khoja Mogen ud Deen, famed as a great Mahometan saint, whose miracles are celebrated all over India. The tomb is of white marble, but remarkable neither for style nor beauty of architecture. To this place the emperor Acbar made a pilgrimage on foot, to implore at the sainted tomb the blessing of male offspring. The emperors of Delhi formed a fine fresh-water lake just above the city, which during the rains is six miles in circumference. It supplies the means of irrigation to a large district on its banks, is full of fish, and affords excellent water to the inhabitants of the town. Ajmeer is 80 miles W.S.W. from Jeypoor. Travelling distance from Delhi 230 miles; from Bombay, 650; and from Calcutta, 1030 miles. Long. 74. 28. E. Lat. 26. 31. N. (Bishop Heber's Journey through the Upper Provinces of India; Hamil-
ton's Description of Hindostan; Elphinstone's Journey into Afghanistan.)