Destination

Dargah Ajmer Sharif

The Soul of Sufism

Ajmer Sharif, in Rajasthan, is the most important Sufi pilgrimage centre in India. With a marvellous
marble structure, vibrant culture, traditional music and prayers, gleaming lights and impressive
Mughal architecture, the place is a treat for the soul.
Arachika Kapoor

tied a thread here almost a year ago

and made a wish and now the wish has
been fulfilled. This is the culture. You
come here again to thank Allah when
the wish is granted, says Aabidah Fadel
as she unties the thread that she had tied
at the shrine on her last visit.
Popular belief in India, and other
countries, has it that all wishes made at
Ajmer Sharif come true and thousands of
devotees from across the world visit the
shrine to pay homage, not just to have their
wishes granted but also to redeem their
souls.
Those who come to seek blessings have
a prayer on their lips and hope in their eyes,
while the pilgrims who had their wishes
fulfilled come back to thank the almighty for
the blessings received.
The story of Ajmer Sharif, located in
the chaotic narrow streets of Ajmer,
Rajasthan, about 400 km southwest of New
Delhi, dates back nearly 800 years and is
a key part of the rich Islamic heritage of
India. The shrine is essentially built over
the grave of a revered Sufi saint, Khwaja
Syed Moinuddin Hasan Chishti, who is
also known as Nawaz Sharif or Gharib
Nawaz and is believed to be the protector
of the poor. The shrine is cherished as
a magnificent example of early Muslim
architecture, built in a town surrounded by
the beautiful Aravalli Hills.
An architectural wonder
Outside the dargah as the tomb of a holy
saint is called in India, narrow, busy and
crowded lanes lead to the main entrance
and along the prolonged street, numerous
vendors selling flowers, colorful clothes,
traditional sweets, bright coloured bangles
and threads, vibrant Rajasthani dresses
and incense sticks, capture the place. The
shopkeepers compete with the operators
of many small hotels that line these lanes
to get the attention of the pilgrims, even
as beggars chase them for alms. To attract

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customers, numerous street vendors

shout out the prices for the pictures of the
dargah. Amidst the noise, fade, soothing
recitals of the namaz (prayers) from inside
the shrine can be heard. Not only Muslims,
but also Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and
people from other religions, along with
foreigners, visit the shrine. It seems as if
the entire universe had been squeezed in
this shrunken street.
Some devotees are lost in their prayers
as they proceed towards the entrance
through the cramped street to reach
the dargah complex, which is beautifully
decorated and glitters with pretty,
colourful flowers and lights.
Built with white marble, the dargah is
a huge white embodiment and the entire
complex smells of rose petals and jasmine,
offered by the pilgrims all day long. The
crowds throng the entrance, bumping
into each other as many believers sit in
the cramped chamber, while others try to
come in to pray.
Entering the shrine is like stepping
into another world. The main entrance is
through Nizam Gate, followed by another
gate, called the Nakkarkhana because
it has two large nakkharas (drums) fixed
above it. The third gate, Buland Darwaza
leads into the dargah courtyard, where
people enter barefoot with their heads
covered. Removing the shoes and covering
the head with a cloth before entering a
spiritual place is long inscribed not only
in the Sufi culture but also in all religious
places in India. Along the entrance of
the courtyard are large iron bowls called
degs, used for cooking a heavenly sweet
dish with a rich aroma. Cooked with rice,
oil, sugar, dry fruits and saffron, the dish
is distributed to the devotees and poor
as tabarruk (blessing) after the morning
prayers.
At the third gate, with gleaming water,
reflecting the morning sunlight, is an
exquisite water tank, with rose petals and

a fountain, to allow the devotees to wash

their feet before entering the sanctum
sanctorum of the shrine. Beside it is
another bowl, smaller than the degs, where
pilgrims from all around the world offer
money, gold, food, clothes and other gift
items as a token of thanks in return of the
blessings received.
The Dargah Khawaja Gharib Nawaz
has several breathtakingly beautiful tombs,
buildings and courtyards, all built in Mughal
architectural style. The saints tomb, with
an impressive and dazzling marble dome,
is in the centre of the second courtyard,
which is surrounded by a silver platform.
The tomb is inlaid with pieces of precious
stones and is covered everyday with
sandalwood paste and ittar (perfume
oils). It is always covered with costly
ghilaafs (coverings made of velvet and silk)
embroidered with gold and silver threads.
There is a large mosque in the courtyard,
built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, which
is the most marvellous of all the structures
within the dargah. The entire complex is
also decorated with ornate calligraphic
inscriptions on the marble walls.
One of the main attractions at the
dargah is the qawwali programme. Qawwalis
(devotional music) are held in the mehfil
(gathering) hall where professional singers,
called qawwals, sing songs in praise of the
saint. The qawwalis, sung by these artists,
make a spellbound effect on listeners,
many of whom begin chanting and clapping
to the rhythm of the musical instruments.
All Sufi shrines in India and neighbouring
countries have a rich tradition of music and
qawwalis, adding to the special charm of
these places.
Besides the qawwalis, mass prayers are
also recited everyday for the eternal peace
and well being of people. Opposite the
mehfil hall is a free kitchen called langar
khana where meals are cooked twice a day
and distributed to the poor without any
discrimination.

Destination

The Ajmer Sharif dargah is an ornament to the city of

Ajmer. It is a religious potpourri where people from all
religions come to seek the blessings of the Almighty. It
is a holy place of worship not only for the muslims but
also for people from other faiths.

INDIA & YOU March-April 2016

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Destination

Clockwise from top left: People counting their blessings and forgetting about the sorrows; Children in prayer reading the holy Sufi book; People visited the shrine to seek the blessings of Khwaja;
People offer money, gold, food and other commodities in a bowl as a token of thanks; Caretakers of the dargah in the mehfil hall

Beliefs and traditions

Rich embroidered colourful chadars
(holy cloth) with silver and golden threads
along with flowers are offered at the
mausoleum by thousands of devotees and
these are accepted with much respect and
grace. The pilgrims also offer flowers. We
offer rose and jasmine flowers and wish for
world peace. The purpose is to promote
spiritualism through harmony, peace and
love. This is the reason that for the past
800 years, not only Muslims but Hindus,
Christians, Sikhs and even foreigners visit the
place to seek the blessings of Khwaja, says
Sayyed Nazir Ali Shah Chishti, a descendant
of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti himself.
Putting red and yellow threads around
the neck of the devotees, tying of threads
at the shrine while making mannat (wish)
and the illuminating the entire dargah
with beautiful candles and lights in the
evening are some of the traditions here.
About 20 minutes prior to the evening
prayers, as a part of the daily routine,
the dargah workers place candles inside
lamps and recite verses. After the recital,
the illuminated lamps are placed in four
corners of the tomb. This ritual is known
as roshnee (lighting ceremony) and makes
the atmosphere more peaceful and serene.
There are hundreds of people within, but
a harmony of soft whisperings and prayer
muffles the air.
Though the dargah attracts millions of
people every year who visit to seek the
blessings of the great saint, if you wish to

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see a different side of this little town then

make sure you visit the place during the
annual urs (festival). Ajmer, where very
little activity seems to be going on during
normal days, suddenly blooms into a lively
place. The urs commemorates the death
anniversary of the Sufi saint Moinuddin
Chishti. It is held every year for six days,
starting from April 2 and features nightlong qawwali singing where hundreds of
thousands of pilgrims from all over India
and abroad pay homage to the saint. The
qawwalis are accompanied by clapping and
no music or instrument is played. Flowers
and sheets are offered all day long as these
days are regarded as the most special and
auspicious days. Fariyad (prayers) are recited
the entire day and on the concluding day,
the entire dargah is washed by devotees
with rose water.
The holy shrine which remains open
from 5 am till 9 pm in winters and from 4
am till 10 pm in summers has been a great
source of communal harmony and national
integrity in the country. The dargah is
visited by all with extreme humility and
servility, be it cricketers, Bollywood stars
or domestic or international ministers
and celebrities. The rich and the poor, the
millionaires and the destitute, all approach
the door of gratitude for the fulfillment of
their desires and wishes alike.
For allah (god) everyone is the same,
regardless of their religion or nationality,
exclaimed Sayyed Nazir Ali Shah Chishti
with a smile on his face.

Capital
Cities

Hanumangarh

Jaisalmer

Bikaner
Rajasthan
Jodhpur

Jaipur

Alwar

Ajmer
Kota
Udaipur

How to reach
Frequent flights from Delhi connect to the Jaipur
International Airport from where the Ajmer Sharif
dargah is 136 km away. Train from Delhi reaches the
Ajmer railway station in 7 hours from where the
dargah is only 3 kilometers away. Whereas, via road
it is a 391 km drive to Ajmer from Delhi.

Where to Stay
Accommodation in Ajmer is not a concern as Ajmer
offers a good choice of hotels from 3 starts to 5
stars, located just four-five kilometers away from
the Ajmer Sharif shrine as well as Ajmer railway
station. The accommodation options range from
deluxe, standard to budget and economy hotels that
provide a comfortable stay.