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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solitude while he had withdrawn to his cell for six days,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.
The Dargah Sharif in Ajmer is the place where the Saint's
mortal remains lie buried and is the site of the largest
Muslim fair in India. More than five lakh devotees belonging
to different communities gather from all parts of the
subcontinent to pay homage to the Khwaja on his Urs (death
anniversary) during the first six days of Rajab (seventh month
of the Islamic calendar.)
The pilgrims who come to seek the blessings of the Khwaja make
rich offerings called nazrana at the holy spot where the saint
has been entombed. The offerings of rose and jasmine flowers,
sandalwood paste, perfumes and incense contribute to the
fragrance that floats in the air inside the shrine. Also
offered by devotees are the chadar, ghilaph and neema, which
are votive offerings for the tomb.
These are brought by devotees on their heads and handed over
to the khadims inside the sanctum sanctorum. Outside the
sanctum sanctorum of the dargah, professional singers called
qawwals in groups and sing the praises of the saint in a
characteristic high pitched voice. People gather around them
and listen attentively, sometimes clapping to the rhythm of
their instruments.
The Urs is initiated with the hoisting of a white flag on the
dargah by the Sajjada Nashin (successor
representative) of Chishtis. It is done on the 25th of
Jamadi-ul-Akhir (sixth lunar month), with the accompaniment of
music. On the last day of the sixth month, the Jannati-Darwaza
(gateway of heaven) is flung open early in the morning. People
cross this gate seven times with the belief that they will be
assured a place in heaven. On the 1st of Rajab, the tomb is
washed with rose water and sandalwood paste and anointed with
perfumes. This ritual is called ghusal. The tomb is then
covered with an embroidered silk cloth by the Sajjada Nashin.
An interesting ritual is the looting of kheer (milk-pudding)
which is cooked in two large cauldrons called degs and
distributed to the devotees as tabarruk (blessed food). On the
6th of Rajab, after the usual mehfil and the sound of
cracker-bursts accompanied by music, the Sajjada Nashin
performs the ghusal of the tomb. Fatiha and Salamti are read.
A poetic recitation called mushaira is arranged in which poets
of all communities arrive to recite compositions dedicated to
the Khwaja. The Qul (end-all) on the 6th of Rajab marks the
end of the Urs.
At night, religious assemblies called mehfils are held in the
mehfil-khana, a large hall meant for this purpose. These are
presided over by the Sajjada Nashin of the dargah. Qawwalis
are sung and the hall is packed to capacity. There are
separate places reserved for women who attend the mehfil. The
mehfil terminates late in the night with a mass prayer for the
eternal peace of the Khwaja in particular and mankind in
general.
The Dargah is located at the conjunction of three bazaars.
There are a number of restaurants around the Dargah where
visitors can choose from a variety of dishes most of which are
non-vegetarian preparations. Guest houses on the road leading
to the Dargah offer accommodation that ranges from economical
to luxurious. Many other guest houses are strewn across the
city. The shops in the market around the Dargah sell flowers,
prayer mats, rosaries, textiles, and general merchandise as
well.
Location
Ajmer is 132 kms. south-west of Jaipur and 198 kms. east of
Jodhpur. It is connected by road to Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner,
Udaipur and Kota. Ajmer is a railway junction on the Delhi-Ahmedabad
section of the Western Railway. During the Urs, special buses
ply from cities all over India carrying people to Ajmer and
back. |
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