Ajmer

South west of Jaipur, Ajmer is an oasis wrapped in the green hills. Ajmer is a popular pilgrimage centre for the Hindus as well as Muslims. Especially famous is the Dargah Sharif - tomb of the Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, who is equally revered by the Hindus and Muslims. Childless couples from all over the country flock here to seek blessings. The Dargah has a secular appeal and is a must visit. From the beautiful mosques and the marble trellised tomb to the amazing urns that contain the Prashâd. Also not to be missed is the Adhai Din ka Jhopda, a mosque that legend has it was built in two and a half days. This is a masterpiece of indo-islamic architecture. Only ruins of the mosque remain, but the hike up to them is invigorating and the scenery breathtaking. The Nasiyan Red temple is a Digambar Jain temple which has a double- storey hall adjacent to the main temple. The hall displays a series of large gold plated wooden figures depicting legends from Jain mythology. The entire hall is richly adorned by glass mosaic, precious stones, gold and silver work. A full day excursion to Ajmer can be organized.

Kishangarh

Kishangarh is 27 Kms north-east of Ajmer and was founded by Kishan Singh a Rathore Prince. In the 18th century it gained fame as one of the finest schools of miniatures paintings. Though it was a smaller school, with a much shorter duration it had a more refined style. Today the artists still create duplicates of the work, which can be bought cheaply at any of the souvenir shops. The town is today an industrial town for marble and textiles. A visit to a marble factory gives you a glimpse of how marble is mined, polished and finished into various beautiful pieces. A half day excursion to Kishangarh, including a visit to a marble factory can be organized.

Tilonia

Tilonia is a small town 25 kms from Kishangarh near Ajmer and 7 kms off Jaipur-Ajmer highway. Tilonia is a success story of how a village can be made self sustaining, with modernization acting as a support rather than a change in ethos. The Barefoot College, which started work here over two decades ago, officially known as Social Work and Research Centre, addresses problems of drinking water, girl education, health & sanitation, rural unemployment, income generation, electricity and power, as well as social awareness and the conservation of ecological systems in rural communities. A souvenir shop allows you to pick up Rajasthani handicrafts at a good rate and the proceeds of the sale go directly to the artisans. A half day excursion to Tlonia can be organized.

Pisangan

Just 25 km from Pushkar lies Pisangan, a small artists' village. Here you can watch artist at work on various schools of Rajasthani painting. A full day excursion to Pisangan is offered including a packed lunch.