Aibak (Aybak), Qutub-ud-Din, Sultan, founder of the first of the DELHI SULTANATES, the so-called Slave Dynasty (r. 1206-1210) during the reign of Rawal Mathan Singh of Mewar. A Turkish slave, he was commander of Muhammad of Ghor's conquering army that defeated a Rajput confederacy led by Prithviraj III of Ajmer and Maharana MATHAN SINGH of Mewar at the BATTLE OF TARAIN (1192). When Muhammad of Ghor went to fight other battles, he left Qutub-ud-Din Aibak as his viceroy in charge of Delhi (and all Hindustan). Muhammad was subsequently killed and, as he had no son to succeed him, Aibak founded the dynasty, which introduced Islamic rule to North India. Among the nine other members of the dynasty who succeeded Aibak, several were either slaves or sons of slaves. Before he died, Aibak regained, for the Sultanate, the territories Muhammad of Ghor had conquered, also adding Sind and Malwa. Today, Aibak is generally remembered because of the famous tower, called Qutub Minar after him (although the tower was probably built by his son-in-law, Iltutmish).

Aircraft Charter, part of the Commercial Division of the MAHARANA MEWAR INSTITUTION TRUST. See also SHIKARBADI.

Airport, Udaipur: see MAHARANA PRATAP AIRPORT.

Aitpoor: see AHAR.

Ajai (Ajay) Singh, Rana, of Sisoda; one of the nine sons of Rana LAKSHA SINGH. When the Sisodia family went to help defend Chittor against ALA-UD-DIN KHILJI (1303), Ajai was sent with his own sons, Sajjan and Ajam, and his young nephew Hamir (the son of Ajai's brother, Ari Singh), to safety at KELWARA to preserve the family line. Rana Laksha, seven of his sons, and the ruler of Mewar, Rawal Ratan Singh I died in the battle. Ajai, in Kelwara, became the new Rana of Sisoda. He was killed in battle against bandits (1326) and Hamir, now a teenager, was crowned the new king of Mewar. See HAMIR SINGH I, MAHARANA.

Ajam, Kunwar, a son of Rana AJAI SINGH of Sisoda: see HAMIR SINGH I, MAHARANA.

Ajay Singh: see AJAI SINGH, RANA.

Ajit Singh. There were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Asind (Choondawat); Bansi (Saktawat); Rao of Bundi; Maharaja of Jodhpur; Kanor (Choondawat); Kareda (Choondawat); Kherabad (Baba); Loonda (Choondawat); Moie (Bhati), and Roopnagar (Solanki). Other important persons with this name were: 1. Rawat Ajit Singh, fourth son of the Choondawat Arjun Singh of Kurabar in the time of Maharana BHIM SINGH (1778-1828). Ajit was sent to negotiate with Maratha general, Ambaji Ingalia who was paid Rs. 10 Lakhs to unite with the Choondawats against the Saktawats. 2. Thakur Ajit Singh, a 2^nd Class Noble of Mewar's CHOONDAWAT clan of ASIND, prominent in affairs at the court of Maharana BHIM SINGH (1778-1828), who signed the 1874 treaty with the British on behalf of the Maharana. 3. Maharaja Ajit Singh of Jodhpur (r. 1679-ca 1720), posthumous son of the Mughal vassal, Raja Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur (Marwar), whom Emperor Aurangzeb had appointed as Governor of Kabul, where he later died. The Emperor ordered all remaining members of the Jodhpur royal family to Delhi. On the way, one of the Ranis gave birth to Prince Ajit Singh. Suspecting that Aurangzeb may try to kill the infant, Durgadas Rathore and other Marwar nobles took the baby to Maharana Raj Singh, who gave the baby refuge, giving him the jagir of Kelwa, and refusing to surrender him to Aurangzeb. This action led to Aurangzeb sacking Udaipur (see RAJ SINGH I, MAHARANA). Later, the young Ajit Singh was relocated to Sirohi where he remained in hiding for a number of years until he came of age. Then Durgadas Rathore announced that the heir of Jodhpur was still alive, and Ajit Singh was crowned the Maharaja of Jodhpur (in exile). During the reign of Maharana Amar Singh II (1698-1710), Bahadur Shah annexed Ajit's kingdom of Jodhpur, which was not returned until after a battle in 1708.

Ajja. There were a couple of leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Bari Sadri (Jhala Rajputs), and Kanor (Sarangdevot, descendants of Choonda). Others were: 1. Kunwar Ajja, a son of Maharana LAKHA (1382-1421) and brother of CHOONDA; his son, Sarangdeo, had the estate (jagir) of KANOD. 2. Ajja, a 1^st Rank Rajput Noble (Umrao) of Mewar, of the JHALA clan of BARI SADRI; son of Raj Singh of Halvad. With his brother Sajja, he migrated to Mewar. Maharana RAIMAL (1473-1509) accepted them as chief nobles and gave Ajja the jagir (estate) of Bari Sadri and Sajja the jagir of DELWARA. Both were Jhala Rajputs (i.e., from Halvad). In the 1527 Battle of KHANWA, when Maharana Sangram Singh I fell wounded, Ajja donned the Maharana's tunic, and took up the chattra (royal umbrella: in a battle, it signified the presence and, perhaps not wisely, the location of the ruler) and chanvar (fly whisk). He assumed charge of the Mewar army, and fought valiantly until he was killed. Since then these royal insignias have been with Ajja's descendants, the family of Bari Sadri, who retained the great honour of standing in for their Prince whenever the need arose.

Ajmer (Ajayameru, Ajmere, Ajmir, Ajmar), the city and administrative headquarters, of Ajmer district, Rajasthan State; 274 km. northeast of Udaipur. The city is situated on the lower slopes of Taragarh Hill, on the summit of which stands a fortress. According to legend, Raja Ajai Pal of the Chauhan dynasty founded it in the 7^th century AD. In 1193, Delhi's Slave Dynasty annexed it; however, upon payment of tribute, it was returned to its Rajput rulers. In 1556, it was retaken by Emperor Akbar and became an important Mughal stronghold for a couple of centuries. In 1770, the Marathas captured it, after which it was a continual Rajput-Maratha battleground until it was ceded to the British in 1818. In 1878, Ajmer became the divided province of Ajmer-Merwara, and in 1956 became part of Rajasthan. Historical sites include the ruins of an elaborately ornamented Jain temple built in the 12^th century; and the tomb of the revered Muslim saint, Khwaja Moinuddin CHISTI (1142-1236). It is also the site of MAYO RAJKUMAR COLLEGE (founded 1875), once the premier educational institution for the sons of Rajput royalty, now open to the general public.