Art and Craft – The Imperial Grace of Artistry

Art and Craft define the world. Scriptures, paintings, encryptions, sketches etc, are all different forms of art. They epitomize creativity and imagination. They tell us about the wonderful times when art was thought of in a very different way and held in a different regard altogether. Art and craft together have undoubtedly been the imperial grace of artistry. They can take any shape and be of any form. They can be depicted through color, through canvas, through collage, through caricatures, through cartoons, through compositions etc. All of them come with a different undertone and they all have a very unique and different significance. Then comes the finishing work, whatever the composition has been, it has to be polished and finished so that it looks presentable and enviable.

Art and Craft have been the finest of ways to show the grace that emanates from natural thoughts and perceptions. The way imaginative concepts are loaded onto something and made into a graphical presentation astonishes the human eye and appeals to it very highly. The best part of it is that such form of art and craft can be found and seen all across the world. Caves, pyramids, tombs, visual descriptions etc. are some of the sites where these can be found and can be said of as very appealing.

Art and Craft describe effort and imagination. They are a showcase of brilliance mixed with skill. They depict the mightiness of those personnel who had the drive to put their thoughts into picture. They represent artistry in a very delectable and revering form. All in all, art and craft are the result of some scintillating imaginative thoughts being brought to life by master craftsmen. This surely entices the eye and takes the imagination a long way ahead.

Ajmer-e-Sharif

The district of Ajmer in the princely state of Rajasthan has the holy shrine of the Sufi Saint, Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Known as the ‘Dargah Sharif’, the last resting place of the saint who died in 1235 lies at the foot of a barren hill. The saint’s marble domed mausoleum is India’s most important shrine for Muslims and receives an endless flow of visitors of all religions as the sick, the troubled and the childless come here seeking a boon, a blessing or just peace of mind. Legend has it that the Mughal emperor, Akbar came here to the saint in the 16th century in quest of a boon for an heir and the saint obliged.

The Urs or annual pilgrimage of the devout is celebrated each May at the Dargah with millions of pilgrims arriving in Ajmer to pay homage. Lengthy queues of several kilometres snake their way past the tomb at the shrine while outside the Dargah precincts, two massive cauldrons cook sweet rice garnished with dry fruits and condiments to be served as ‘tabarukh’ or sanctified food. Within the dargah lies a mosque, built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Like all of Shah Jahan’s buildings, the mosque too, is an architectural marvel - a magnificent building in white marble with a long and narrow courtyard for the faithful to pray in, richly embellished with ornate calligraphic inscriptions, delicate carvings and detailed trelliswork.


Although Ajmer does not have an airport of its own, there is an airport at Jaipur (130 km away), from where regular buses and taxis come to Ajmer.

Ajmer is very well linked by train; there are frequent (in many cases daily) trains to and from the city to other destinations in India, including Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur. Delhi is connected to Ajmer by the fast Shatabdi Express, easily the quickest and most comfortable way of getting to Ajmer.

A good national and state highway network links Ajmer to other parts of Rajasthan and many important cities in India. Hired transport is easily available, be it cars, jeeps, minibuses or MUVs and almost all come with experienced drivers. State and interstate roadways buses, RTDC conducted tours and coaches connect Ajmer to most important cities in the region, including Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mt. Abu, Jaisalmer, Mumbai and Delhi.

A Tiger Trail in Ranthambore

Ranthambore is lovely place in Rajasthan that is situated at a distance of 180 kilometers from the capital city, Jaipur. It is a national park, sanctuary and a site that was declared as one of the Project Tiger reserves in the 1970s by the Government of India. The place is categorically famous for its Tiger count and also happens to be home to some of the most gorgeous and healthy tigers in India. The beasts can be easily spotted during day time. The months of November and May, when the forests are dry, is the best time when Tigers are visible throughout the day.

Following a Tiger Trail in Ranthambore can be very exciting. One needs to be cautious, for irritating a Tiger would invite trouble. Wherever a Tiger goes, the animal always leaves traces or paw marks behind. You can pretend to be Indianan Jones and follow the trail. If the climate is moist, the trail becomes easier to follow and the footprints would be wet and very clear. You need to be armored well before you take up a trail as you run the risk of being attacked. Some of the accessories you would need while following the trail are a solid net, rifle with magazines and a harpoon in case hunting is allowed and you feel like doing it.

The trails are very exciting. Tigers often have this habit of changing their routes constantly. They have to be tracked or followed with a lot of precision. The trace becomes more intriguing and exhilarating as you have to be very agile. The tiger moves very quickly and within no time will vanish if you do not keep pace with it. Go to Ranthambore and follow a Tiger Trail. You can fancy yourself as 007, as someone on a hot trail left behind by a notorious assassin.