Significance - Tomb of Muin-ud-Din Chishti
The final resting place for 'Gharib-Nawaz', Moinuddin Chishti is located in Ajmer. People of all religions visit the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. The Khwaja left for heavenly abode in 1256 AD after a six day prayer in seclusion. These six days are celebrated every year as the annual Urs, which is attended by innumerable pilgrims irrespective of their faith. The shrine is considered to be a place of wish fulfillment for those who pray with devout and pure hearts. It is said that Emperor Akbar sought blessings for his son at the Dargah. |
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The entry to the Dargah is through the Dargah Bazar that leads to the inner courtyard. The high gateway has beautifully carved silver doors. In the courtyard are kept two huge cauldrons with capacity of 2240 kg and 4480 kg. On special occasions, 'Kheer' cooked in these cauldrons is distributed among the pilgrims. The grave of the Sufi Saint is surrounded by a silver railing and is partially covered with a marble screen. The daughter of Shah Jahan had built a prayer room in the Dargah for the women devotees. The premises of the Dargah also has the tomb of Bhishti, tomb of Saint's daughter-Bibi Hafiz Jama, tomb of Shah Jahan's daughter Chimni Begum.
Prime Attractions of Ajmer
Urs Fair
The lakeside city of Ajmer is located in central Rajasthan, and is held in great reverence by devotees of all communities who call it 'Ajmer Sharif' (Holy Ajmer). It is here that the mortal remains of the highly respected Sufi saint Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti lie buried. The Khwaja came from Persia and established the Chishtia order of 'fakirs' in India. He is popularly known as 'Gharib Nawaz' (protector of the poor) because he dedicated his entire life to the service of mankind. His spartan life spanned almost a hundred years and he embraced death in solitude while he had withdrawn to his cell for six days, asking not to be disturbed.
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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. Within the city, rented cars, local buses, auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are the means of transport available.
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There is a wide variety of hotel accommodation for travellers to Ajmer to choose from - deluxe, standard and economy, depending on the budget and choice of hotel. A heritage hotel will cost more than a deluxe while RTDC provides decent, clean accommodation at reasonable prices albeit with few frills.
The Tourist Office will be able to assist those travellers looking for paying guest accommodation with local families. Hotels are booked to capacity during the Urs in May, so make sure you have reservations done well ahead of time.
Further information on Ajmer and the Dargah can be obtained from the local RTDC offices at the RTDC-operated Hotel Khadim (Tel:0145-2627426 ). The RTDC also has a tourist information counter at the local railway station. |
