132 kms south west of Jaipur is another important city of Rajasthan called Ajmer or Ajmer Shariff. Ajmer is a major center for Muslim pilgrims during the fast of Ramadan. The most important religious institution in this city that has for centuries been attracting pilgrims from all over the world irrespective of caste and creed is ? Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishty?s Shrine? also known as ?Khwaja Gharib Nawaz? or ?Khwaja Saheb?. This shrine has always been a great source of communal harmony and national integrity in the country.
Situated at the foot of a barren hill in the old part of the town, this is one of the India?s most important places especially for Muslim pilgrims. This Dargah has the tomb of Khwaja Saheb who came from Persia in 1192. Khwaja Saheb was a scholar of great repute. He interpreted the true Islamic message of love for mankind and through that the love for the Almighty Allah.
He preached the Quaranic philosophy of the unity of religion and worked out its potentialities for the whole humanity. He was the greatest mystic of his time. He laid the foundation of the liberal Chishtia orders of Sufis in India and inspired millions of souls to be his followers and thus served the masses of Indian sub continent. He did it all through his great moral power, glorious and appealing character, with love and dedication to the mankind, without any worldly resources of wealth, power, force and material means.
Humayun completed the construction of this great shrine and the Nizam of Hyderabad added the gate. Akbar used to make the pilgrimage to the Dargah from Agra once a year. As we enter the courtyard removing our shoes at the gateway is a mosque constructed by Akbar.
There are large iron pots for offerings, which are shared by families involved in shrine?s upkeep. In an inner court there is another mosque built by Shah Jahan. Constructed of white marble it has 11 arches and a Persian inscription running the full length of the building.
The Khwaja Saheb ?s tomb is in the center of the second court. It has a marble dome and the actual tomb inside is surrounded by a silver platform. Every year on the anniversary of Khwaja Saheb?s death, which is called as ?URS? thousands of pilgrims from all over the country flocks here. The MAZARE-AQDAS (HOLY SHRINE) timings are as follows.
Winters gates are opened at 5.00 AM and are closed at 9 PM In summers gates are opened at 4 AM and closed at 10 PM. The keys of holy shrine are in the possession of Khadims since inception and they have the privilege to open and close the doors with punctuality.
This shrine is visited by all with extreme humility and servility, the mighty Moguls, Kings and nobles, great Sufi Sheikhs of different orders, the rich and the poor the millionaires and the destitute, all approach the door of benediction for the fulfillment of their desires and wishes. There is no doubt that the boundless grace and blessings of Khwaja Moinuuddin Hassan Chishty shall continue to help the humanity forever.
Ajmer is well connected by trains from Delhi, Mumbai, Ahemadabad and Chennai. Every fifteen minutes there are buses from Jaipur and it takes 2-3 hours from Jaipur. There are budget hotels and restaurants very near to Shrine. During my visit to this holy shrine with my family I was assisted by young guide Yousof Chisti (+91-145-3100578). You can have more information from him.
Aamin!