Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Moinuddin Chishti was a 13th-century sufi mystic saint and philosopher. Born in Sanjar (modern day Iran), or in Sijistan,[5] he travelled across South Asia, eventually settling in Ajmer (modern day Rajasthan, India), where he died in 1236.[6] The structure was expanded as local and national rulers came to pray here. In 1332, the Sultan of Delhi (Tughluq dynasty) Mohammad Bin Tughluq constructed a dargah (a commemoration structure constructed around the tomb of Muslim saints, where people from all religions come to pray and ask for favours) and it grew in popularity and size over the years.[7] The structure was subsequently expanded by a number of rulers including many saints.

Ajmer Sharif Dargah is 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) away from the main central Ajmer Railway station and 500 metres away from the Central Jail and is situated at the foot of the Taragarh hill. It consists of several white marble buildings arranged around two courtyards, including a massive gate known as Nizam Gate donated by the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Osman Ali Khan and the Akbari Mosque, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. It contains the domed tomb of the saint.

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  Dargah Sharif, Ajmer, 1893
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  View of Dargah from outside
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  The Way of Ajmer Dargah Sharif
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  Dargah Main Gate, erected by Sultan Mahmood Khilji
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  Skyline View of Main Gate
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  Dargah of Moinuddin Chishti
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  Qawali at the front of Dargah
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  The Beautiful Pillars of Dargah
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  Rest Place of the Dargah
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  The Dargah Sharif inside net gate
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  Inside view
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  The Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Handing over the 'Chadar' to Minister of State Prithviraj Chavan for Dargah since 2009
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  The Former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh Handing Over the 'Chadar' to the Minister of State for Dargah
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  The Prime Minister Narendra Modi handing over the 'Chaadar' to be offered at Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti,Ajmer Sharif, to the Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, in New Delhi
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  Dargah Emblem

Akbar and his queen used to come here by foot on pilgrimage from Agra every year in observance of a vow where he prayed for a son. The large pillars called "Kose ('Mile') Minar", erected at intervals of two miles (3 km) along the entire way between Agra and Ajmer mark the places where the royal pilgrims halted every day. It has been estimated that around 150,000 pilgrims visit the site every day.

The main gate to the shrine is the Nizam Gate, followed by the Shahjahani Gate, erected by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. In turn it is followed by the Buland Darwaza,[8] built by Sultan Mahmood Khilji,[9] upon which is hoisted the urs flag, marking the beginning of the death anniversary rituals.[10] The urs for Moinuddin Chishti is celebrated every year on the 6th and 7th of Rajab.[11]

The dargah (shrine) of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is an international waqf (endowment), managed under The Dargah Khwaja Saheb Act, 1955 of Government of India. The Dargah Committee, appointed by the Government, takes care of the maintenance of the shrine,[12] and runs charitable institutions like dispensaries, and guest houses for the devotees but do not care take the rituals of the main shrine (Mazar sharif/Astana e Alia) which is under the custody of hereditary priests known as Khadims.[13]

Dewan Syed Zainul Abedin at his office in the Dewan Haweli, Ajmer Sharif

Dewan Syed Zainul Abedin is the direct descendant in the 22nd generation of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. Meanwhile, according to the Supreme Court of India he is the Hereditary Sajjadanashin Spiritual Head of the shrine of Ajmer Dargah. On the other hand, in the aspect of genealogical lineage (family tree), presently he is the most direct descendant of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti.[14] [15][16][17][18] He is the successor of Khwaja Gareeb Nawaz.[14][15][16][17][18] þ

On 11 October 2007, an explosion occurred in Dargah Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti's courtyard in Ajmer in Rajasthan. It was the holy fasting period of Ramazan and evening prayers had just ended. A crowd had gathered at the courtyard to break their fast. A bomb was placed inside a tiffin carrier went off. Reports said the blast claimed 7 lives and injured 17.[19][20]

• Shrine of Baba Farid
• Turabul Haq Dargah
• Dewan Syed Zainul Abedin
• Prophet's Day
• Baba Bhanderi

• Currie, P. M. (1989). The shrine and cult of Muʻīn Al-Dīn Chishtī of Ajmer. Oxford University Press.

• "Dargah Committee, Dargah Khwaja Saheb, Ajmer". gharibnawaz.in. Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India.
• "Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Shrine of Moinuddin Chishti, Ajmer". Rajasthan Department of Tourism.