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Dargah Khwaja
Sahib
 It
is the landmark of Ajmer and one of the holiest of Muslim shrines in the
country. It has a secular appeal and revered by people of all sect. Khwaja
Moin-ud-din Chisti, a Sufi saint from Persia made this place his abode from
1192 till he died in 1236 AD. Mughal King Humayun completed the construction
of the shrine. The Dargah is approached through a massive gate with silver
doors built in several stages. Emperor Akbar made an annual pilgrimage to
Ajmer. Mughal Emperors Akbar and Shah Zahan have built mosques in the
complex. The saint's tomb is in the centre of the second courtyard and the
actual tomb inside is surrounded by a silver railing and partly by a marble
screen. The tomb is of marble and dome is gold plated. The atmosphere inside
the shrine is charged and supernatural with burning of incense and offerings
of flowers mainly rose and sweets.
As you enter the Dargah courtyard,
you see two massive 'degs' meaning cauldrons. Mughal Emperors Akbar and
Jahangir donated these cauldrons originally but they have been replaced in
the nineteenth century. The larger cauldron can contain as much as 4480 kgs
of rice while the smaller one contains 2240 kgs of rice.
 The
shrine comes alive with activity when millions of devotees throng the shrine
during Urs fair. Urs is held on the seventh lunar month according to Islamic
calendar and is variable according to the solar calendar. Sufis and believer
converge from all over India and abroad, as it is believed that those
visiting during Urs receives special blessings of the saint. It is
compulsory that you cover your head while inside the complex so remember to
carry a skullcap or a scarf. The skull-cap is on sale in the colourful
market just outside the Dargah. It is also customary to make floral
offerings mainly of roses, incense sticks and sweets that are locally
available.
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