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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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