India 15 - Rajasthan (Chapter)

Rajasthan

EASTERN

R AJASTHAN

Rajasthan

Sl EEP iNG

Rajasthan

AJMER

4 ̈Sleeping

Haveli ̈Heritage ̈Inn ̈ HOTEl $$

(%2621607; http://www.haveliheritageinn.com; Kutch-

ery Rd; r from ₹875; a) Set in a 140-year-old

haveli, this welcoming city-centre oasis

has high-ceilinged rooms that are spacious,

simply decorated, air-cooled and set well

back from the busy road. There’s a pleas-

ant courtyard and the hotel is infused with

a family atmosphere, complete with home-

cooked meals.

Badnor ̈House ̈ GUESTHOUSE $$$

(%2627579; http://www.badnorhouse.com; d incl break-

fast ₹2800; aW) This guesthouse provides

an excellent opportunity to stay with locals.

Your charming hosts live in a colonial-style

bungalow, while the guest rooms are at

one end of the garden and are large, well

furnished and spotlessly clean. You can get

online using a mobile modem the hosts can

lend you.

5 ̈Eating

Mango ̈Masala ̈ iND iAN $

(%01452422100; Sadar Patel Marg; mains ₹80-

190; h9am-11pm) Easily the best place to eat

in Ajmer, and better than most restaurants

in Pushkar, this laidback three-in-one affair

houses a family-friendly vegetarian restau-

rant, a curry house serving tandoori sizzlers

and a coffee stall which brews fresh coffee

(₹25 to ₹69) as well as selling cakes and

cookies. There’s also a proper pizza oven in

the backyard, serving decent pizza which

you can eat in either of the restaurants.

The vegetarian restaurant (on your right as

you walk in) is the pick of the two and does

some excellent-value mini meals – the ma-

lai kofta and butter naan combo is about as

close to lunchtime perfection as you can get.

Honeydew ̈ MU lTiCU iSiNE $$

(%2622498; Station Rd; mains ₹120-300; h9am-

11pm) This offers a great selection of veg

and nonveg Indian, Chinese and Continen-

tal food in a pleasant, clean, but overly dim

atmosphere. It has long been one of Ajmer’s

TRANSPORT ̈FROM ̈AJMER

Government-run ̈Buses ̈from ̈the ̈Main ̈Bus ̈Stand

DESTINATION FARE (₹)

DURATION

(HR) FREQUENCY TIMES

Bikaner 198 8 half-hourly 4am-9.45pm

Bundi 137 5 every 15 minutes 6.30am-9pm

Chittorgarh 147 5 half-hourly 6am-8pm

Delhi 375 9 hourly 6am-11pm

Jaipur 110 2½ every 10 minutes day & night

Jodhpur 151 6 half-hourly 6am-8pm

Pushkar 10-12 ½ every 10 minutes 5am-9pm

Udaipur 210 8 hourly 5.30am-midnight

Major ̈Trains ̈from ̈Ajmer ̈Junction

DESTINATION TRAIN

DEPARTURE

TIME

ARRIVAL

TIME FARE (₹)

Agra (Agra Fort) 12988 Ajmer-SDAH Exp 12.50pm 7.25pm 196/ 511 (A)

Delhi (New Delhi) 12016 Ajmer Shatabdi 3.45pm 10.40pm 669/ 1420 (B)

Delhi (New Delhi) 12957 Swarna J Raj Exp 12.55am 7.30am 684/ 980/ 1670 (C)

Jaipur 12991 Udaipur-Jaipur Exp 11.30am 1.35pm 50/ 230/ 325 (D)

Jodhpur 54802 Ajmer-Jodhpur Fast

Passenger

2.30pm 7.40pm 88/ 362 (E)

Udaipur 09721 Jaipur-Udaipur SF SPl 8.55am 1.45pm 81/ 349 (F)

Fares: (A) sleeper/3AC, (B) AC chair/1AC, (C) 3AC/2AC/1AC, (D) 2nd-class/AC chair/1st-class, (E)

sleeper/3AC, (F) 2nd-class/AC chair