The
Dargah sharif has become the most significant identity for the city of
Ajmer. The final resting place of the Gharib Nawaz Moin-ud-din Chisti
the Dargah is visited by several great men for their belief in the
divine powers of the holy saint. Almost all the rulers of Delhi
Sultanate, the Mughals and even the Rajput rulers came to Dargah Sharif
to pay their homage to the Gharib Nawaz. The Khwaja came from Persia and
settled in Ajmer to serve the mankind throughout his lifetime. He
commands respect world over cutting across faiths and has been one of
the greatest spiritual redeemers of human sufferings. It is believed that the tomb of Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti has divine powers and no one returns empty handed from this holy place. Pilgrims come in large numbers throughout the year but it is during the six days of urs festival (the death anniversary of the Khwaja) that there is a heavy flow of devotees in the shrine to seek the blessings of the Gharib Nawaz. Once a simple tomb, the Dargah has been extended by several Mughal rulers. The Dargah complex now houses several Mosques build by Mughal rulers and named after them, pavilions, courtyards and gateways.
To enter the Dargah a pilgrim has to pass through the Dargah Bazaar where one can buy chaddar (sheet), incense and scented oils to offer at the tomb of Gharib Nawaz. The Dargah is entered through an exquisitely carved silver door leading to the main inner courtyard. The Dargah today runs an Arabic and Persian school for Islamic learning within its complex teaching young Muslim boys to follow the path of the Gharib Nawaz and serve the mankind without any religious bias. The Gharib Nawaz has showered his blessings on the pilgrims for more than eight centuries now; the Dargah Sharif at Ajmer is a haven of peace and tranquility and is the answer for people requiring spiritual assistance.