Ajmer - my visit to Khawaja Gharibnawaz Dargah
Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty Dargah of Sufi saint at Ajmer, Rajasthan, India is renowned not only amongst the Muslim community but also the other religious communities! It is said that people who visit Ajmer Sharif and pray with pure faith and loyalty at his Dargah will free their soul. Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti is also known by different names as Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, “Sultan-Ul-Hind”, Khwaja Baba, Khwaja Gharib Nawaz Ajmeri, Khwaja Sahib, Khwaja Saheb, Khwaja Ajmeri Saint Moinuddin Chishty. This Dargah has several tombs, buildings, Daalaans and courtyards are of Mughal architecture.
As for me, I always have this thing for religious places. I love visiting places of worship - be it temples, Churches, Mosque, or anything. My believe is simple, there is only one God, whatever we name it, wherever we look for him!
Having heard of Ajmer Dargah so much and having done my share of research on it, I was desperately waiting for my turn to visit it! And like its said "When you want something so dearly, the whole universe conspires to fulfill it" And I saw my dream fulfilling in 2016! Long wait but better late than never!
My birthday which happens to be on the 24th of June, was soon approaching. It was on friday. On thursday, my spouse asked "What do you want to do?". To which I replied "Nothing!". All of a sudden he asked "You want to go to Ajmer?" I was awestruck! I couldn't believe what he just spoke! He is not the religious kinds and I had not told him much over my desire to visit Ajmer. Maybe sometime, long time back I must have just blurted out that its my wish! And there he was willing to fulfill it.
I had to say "Yes"! We quickly booked hotels and in the evening we went out to get some "Chaddar" to offer at the dargah. The traffic at 8pm in Gurgaon, on a working thursday, was crazy! Still, nothing could really stop me when its about the lord! So we got our hands on two lovely embroidered chaddars in the market. And with a happy mind we were ready to kickstart our journey towards Ajmer the next day!
"Khwaja mere khwaja..." That was all that was running in my head, nonstop! We reached Ajmer in the second half of the day. It was a long tiring day, driving such distance with a toddler! Nevertheless, nothing would stop us! We checked into the hotel and retired for the day.
I hardly got any sleep that night. The anticipation of the next day was way too much to have my body and mind at rest! So very early in the morning, we were there. Like all other religious places in India, the roads to the dargah were filled with small shops selling chaddars and flowers and scents. The air was filled with the marvelous smell of the attar.
The moment I stepped into the dargah through the Nizam Gate, I was high-strung. The next gate is called Shahjahani Gate which was erected by the Mughol Emperor Shah Jahan. The Urs flag is hoisted over the Bulund Darwaja built by Muhmood Khilji.
There are priests who would take the pilgrims around the place. One of them caught hold of us. We handed over our offerings to him and he guided us inside the dargah. We offered our prayers and were soon out. Pilgrims cannot wait much time considering the number of pilgrims that visit this place daily. The dargah trust records the number daily and it is estimated at 150,000 daily! Stupendous, inst it?
Finally we caught a glimpse of the two galactic pots where food is cooked daily. In one we offered money and clicked some pictures and left with very fond remembrances of the place.
Later on we went on to tour Pushkar. The tour was wonderful. The view of so many peacocks on either side of the road, I swear I had never seen so many peacocks in any of the zoos either! Over all the trip was peerless!
As for me, I always have this thing for religious places. I love visiting places of worship - be it temples, Churches, Mosque, or anything. My believe is simple, there is only one God, whatever we name it, wherever we look for him!
Having heard of Ajmer Dargah so much and having done my share of research on it, I was desperately waiting for my turn to visit it! And like its said "When you want something so dearly, the whole universe conspires to fulfill it" And I saw my dream fulfilling in 2016! Long wait but better late than never!
My birthday which happens to be on the 24th of June, was soon approaching. It was on friday. On thursday, my spouse asked "What do you want to do?". To which I replied "Nothing!". All of a sudden he asked "You want to go to Ajmer?" I was awestruck! I couldn't believe what he just spoke! He is not the religious kinds and I had not told him much over my desire to visit Ajmer. Maybe sometime, long time back I must have just blurted out that its my wish! And there he was willing to fulfill it.
I had to say "Yes"! We quickly booked hotels and in the evening we went out to get some "Chaddar" to offer at the dargah. The traffic at 8pm in Gurgaon, on a working thursday, was crazy! Still, nothing could really stop me when its about the lord! So we got our hands on two lovely embroidered chaddars in the market. And with a happy mind we were ready to kickstart our journey towards Ajmer the next day!
"Khwaja mere khwaja..." That was all that was running in my head, nonstop! We reached Ajmer in the second half of the day. It was a long tiring day, driving such distance with a toddler! Nevertheless, nothing would stop us! We checked into the hotel and retired for the day.
I hardly got any sleep that night. The anticipation of the next day was way too much to have my body and mind at rest! So very early in the morning, we were there. Like all other religious places in India, the roads to the dargah were filled with small shops selling chaddars and flowers and scents. The air was filled with the marvelous smell of the attar.
The moment I stepped into the dargah through the Nizam Gate, I was high-strung. The next gate is called Shahjahani Gate which was erected by the Mughol Emperor Shah Jahan. The Urs flag is hoisted over the Bulund Darwaja built by Muhmood Khilji.
There are priests who would take the pilgrims around the place. One of them caught hold of us. We handed over our offerings to him and he guided us inside the dargah. We offered our prayers and were soon out. Pilgrims cannot wait much time considering the number of pilgrims that visit this place daily. The dargah trust records the number daily and it is estimated at 150,000 daily! Stupendous, inst it?
Finally we caught a glimpse of the two galactic pots where food is cooked daily. In one we offered money and clicked some pictures and left with very fond remembrances of the place.
Later on we went on to tour Pushkar. The tour was wonderful. The view of so many peacocks on either side of the road, I swear I had never seen so many peacocks in any of the zoos either! Over all the trip was peerless!
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