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Dargah
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Dargah is an Islamic shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint. Local Muslims perform pilgrimages (ziyarat) to the shrines. Dargahs are often associated with Sufi meeting rooms and hostels, known as khanqah. They often include a mosque, meeting rooms, schools (Madrassas), residences for a teacher or caretaker, hospitals, and other buildings for community purposes.
In the Indian subcontinent, dargahs are often the site of festivals (Milad) held in honor of the deceased saint at the date of his Urs, which is a day dedicated to the saint which is usually but not exclusively the saint's death anniversary. The shrine is illuminated with candles or strings of electric lights. There may be parades and processions, performances of religious music, and fairs with food stalls and fun rides.
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Ajmer
| Distance (K.M.) |
Time taken in hours |
Height above sea level |
Temperature |
Clothing |
| From Jaipur-138 kilometers
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3 hrs.
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2,855 ft.
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Max. Temp. -33.0 (summers)
Min. Temp-5.5 (winters)
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Cottons in summers
Woolens in winters
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Ajmer was founded by Raja Ajay Pal Chauhan and it is situated in the green oasis wrapped in the barren hills.Ajmer used to be a major center of the Chauhan power till 1193 A.D. when the Ruler Prithviraj Chauhan lost it to Mohammed Ghauri.After Prithwiraj Chauhan Ajmer witnessed dynasties, which came and left leaving behind indelible marks of their culture and traditions on the city’s history, converting it to an amalgam of various cultures and blend of Hinduism and Islam.
Today, Ajmer is one of the most significant pilgrimate destination equally important for Hindus as well as Muslims. Especially famous is the Dargah Sharif-tomb of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti.
How to Reach
Ajmer is very close to Pushkar (11 kms) which is significant for the famous fair held normally in the month of October/November.
Places of Interest
The chief objects of interest are Pushkar, and the Dargah, tomb of the most revered Muslim sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, the Gharib Nawaz.
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
Dargah
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Pushkar is a town in the state of Rajasthan in India near Ajmer, about 14 Kilometers away, and is an important tourist destination. Pushkar is famous for Pushkar Lake and the 14th century Hindu temple to Brahma, God as the Creator of all creation. This is the only temple of Brahma in the world. Pushkar is also famous for its annual Camel Fair.
The Dargah Shareef is situated at the foot of the Taragarh hill, and consists of several white marble buildings arranged around two courtyards, including a massive gate donated by the Nizam of Hyderabad, a mosque donated by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the Akbari Masjid, and the domed tomb of the saint. To this place Emperor Akbar, with his queen, performed pilgrimage on foot from Agra every year in observance of a vow he had made when praying for a son. The large pillars, erected at intervals of two miles the whole way between Agra and Ajmer mark the daily halting places of the royal pilgrim, are still extant.
Taragarh, the fort of Ajmer, seat of the Chauhan rulers, is claimed to be the first hill fort of Asia, built at a time when the Aravalli mountain ranges were above the snowlines. This gives it the reputation of being one of the oldest hill forts of the world, and it is definitely the oldest among the hill forts in India.
The Adhai-din-ka-jhonpra, a Jain temple constructed in 1153 and converted into a mosque by Qutubuddin Aibak after 1193, is situated on the lower slope of the Taragarh hill. With the exception of that part used as a mosque, nearly the whole of the ancient temple has fallen into ruins, but the relics are not excelled in beauty of architecture and sculpture by any remains of Hindu art. Forty columns support the roof, but no two are alike, and great fertility of invention is manifested in the execution of the ornaments.
The city's Museum was once the residence of Prince Salim, son of Emperor Akbar, and presently houses a collection of the Mughal and Rajput armour and sculpture.This residence of Salim is significant from a historical point of view, because Salim as Emperor Jahangir read out the firman for trade to India to the British East India company from here, thus starting the chain of events that lead to India's colonisation by the British.
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