Our visit to Hindostán, Kashmir and Ladakh

· 1879 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

1210 AJMERE.

2was burning. The worship lasted only a very short

3time : all rose, the lamp was removed, and handed to

4each one, who passed his hands over the flames, and

5then, touching his forehead, seemed to say a prayer.

6From Jeypore we took the rail again, and went on to

7Ajmere, which is the winter headquarters of the Gover-

8nor-General's agent for the Rajputana states, nineteen in

9number, including large and smalL This official resides

10in the summer at Mount Aboo. Bajputana is almost

11the only part of Hindostdn which held its own against

12the Patilns and Moghuls, though the former of these

13have left their mark in a mosque, to make which they

14used and adapted the materials of an old Jaina temple.

15The Rajputs have always been a very warlike people ;

16and this, together with the hilly and barren nature of

17the country, no doubt prevented permanent occupation

18by invading forces. The rainfall generally is very small

19— about twenty-three inches annually, and very much

20less than this on the north-western side of the AravcUi

21Mountains. At Ajmere, and also at Jeypore, owing

22to this circumstance, they only obtain summer, or wet

23weather, crops. Part of the Jeypore district is a rich

24loam ; but much of it is pure sand, as is also a good deal

25of the country round Ajmere.

26The first stone of the Mayo College, at the latter place,

27was laid a short time before our visit. This institution

28is destined to promote the education of the upper class

29of natives, and will contain a lecture-hall, class-rooms,

30&c., and form a centre for various detached houses, each

31of which will belong to, and be occupied by, the boys of

32its own state.

33We went over the Ajmere house, and there, as in all

34the others, each lad has his separate bedroom, with its