Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Ajmer Dargah, Ajmer Sharif or Dargah Sharif is a sufi shrine (dargah) of the revered sufi saint, Moinuddin Chishti, located at Ajmer, Rajasthan, India. The shrine has Chisti's grave (Maqbara).

History
Moinuddin Chishti was a 13th-century sufi mystic saint and philosopher. Born in Sanjar (modern day Iran), he travelled across South Asia, eventually settling in Ajmer (modern day Rajasthan, India), where he died in 1236. The structure was expanded as local and national rulers came to pray here. In 1332, the Sultan of Delhi (Tughluq dynasty) Mohammad Bin Tughluq constructed a dargah (a commemoration structure constructed around the tomb of Muslim saints, where people from all religions come to pray and ask for favours) and it grew in popularity and size over the years. The structure was subsequently expanded by a number of rulers including many saints.

Geography
Ajmer Sharif Dargah is  away from the main central Ajmer Railway station and 500 metres away from the Central Jail and is situated at the foot of the Taragarh hill. It consists of several white marble buildings arranged around two courtyards, including a massive gate known as Nizam Gate donated by the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Osman Ali Khan and the Akbari Mosque, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. It contains the domed tomb of the saint.

Gallery

Pilgrimage
Akbar and his queen used to come here by foot on pilgrimage from Agra every year in observance of a vow where he prayed for a son. The large pillars called "Kose ('Mile') Minar", erected at intervals of two miles (3 km) along the entire way between Agra and Ajmer mark the places where the royal pilgrims halted every day. It has been estimated that around 150,000 pilgrims visit the site every day.

The Shrine
The main gate to the shrine is the Nizam Gate, followed by the Shahjahani Gate, erected by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. In turn it is followed by the Buland Darwaza, built by Sultan Mahmood Khilji, upon which is hoisted the urs flag, marking the beginning of the death anniversary rituals. The urs for Moinuddin Chishti is celebrated every year on the 6th and 7th of Rajab.

Trust
The dargah (shrine) of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is an international waqf (endowment), managed under The Dargah Khwaja Saheb Act, 1955 of Government of India. The Dargah Committee, appointed by the Government,  takes care of the maintenance of the shrine, and runs charitable institutions like dispensaries, and guest houses for the devotees but do not care take the rituals of the main shrine (Mazar sharif/Astana e Alia) which is under the custody of hereditary priests known as Khadims.

Dewan of the Dargah

Dewan Syed Zainul Abedin is the direct descendant in the 22nd generation of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. Meanwhile, according to the Supreme Court of India he is the Hereditary Sajjadanashin Spiritual Head of the shrine of Ajmer Dargah. On the other hand, in the aspect of genealogical lineage (family tree), presently he is the most direct descendant of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti.
 He is the successor of Khwaja Gareeb Nawaz. þ

Ajmer dargah blast case

On 11 October 2007, an explosion occurred in Dargah Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti's courtyard in Ajmer in Rajasthan. It was the holy fasting period of Ramazan and evening prayers had just ended. A crowd had gathered at the courtyard to break their fast. A bomb was placed inside a tiffin carrier went off. Reports said the blast claimed 7 lives and injured 17.

Investigations
Special Judge Dinesh Gupta's nearly 500-page judgment was based on testimonies of 149 witnesses and 451 document submitted to his court.

Criminals
On 22 March 2017, The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, sentenced two terrorists named Bhavesh Patel and Davendra Gupta to life imprisonment, who were convicted for the 2007 Ajmer Dargah Blasts, in which three people were killed.
 
Those convicted, Bhavesh Patel and Devendra Gupta, owed allegiance to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Both were held guilty under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Explosives Act and various sections of Indian Penal Code.

See also
1998 Ajmer serial gang rapes case
Shrine of Baba Farid
Turabul Haq Dargah
Dewan Syed Zainul Abedin
Prophet's Day
Baba Bhanderi

Notes and references

Further reading
 Currie, P. M. (1989). The shrine and cult of Muʻīn Al-Dīn Chishtī of Ajmer. Oxford University Press.

External links
 
 

Category:Dargahs in India
Category:Tourist attractions in Ajmer
Category:Religious buildings and structures in Rajasthan
Category:Religious tourism in India