Ajmer Sharif

The entrance to Dargah Sharif

Ajmer is popular among the Muslims and Hindus alike. It houses the Dargah Sharif - the last resting place of the saint Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti who died here in 1232. He is said to be the founder of the Chishti Sufi order - one of the most important Sufi organizations in India and Pakistan.  Muinuddin lived in Ajmer from 1190 until his death in 1232, and his reverence he held can be seen in the patronage to his tomb which attracts over a million pilgrims every year.  It is India’s most important shrine for Muslims and receives an endless flow of visitors of all religions as the sick, the troubled and the childless come here seeking a boon, a blessing or just peace of mind.

Legend has it that the Mughal Emperor Akbar came here to the saint in the 16^th century in quest of a boon for an heir and the saint obliged. The Urs or annual pilgrimage of the devout is celebrated each May at the Dargah with millions of pilgrims arriving in Ajmer to pay homage. Lengthy queues of several kilometres snake their way past the tomb at the shrine while outside the Dargah precincts, two massive cauldrons cook sweet rice garnished with dry fruits and condiments to be served as ‘tabarukh’ or sanctified food. Within the dargah lies a mosque, built by the Mughal Emperor Shah