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Come across to learn about the history, significance and architectural beauty of Ajmer Sharif Dargah, one of India’s divine places and shrines, Rajasthan. Learn how to reach and visit the place and what to wear for the Ajmer Sharif Dargah tour. 

Rajasthan is famous for its vibrant culture and historical architecture. Hence, Ajmer, the city of Rajasthan, is also famous in the whole Indian state for having the holiest place, Ajmer Sharif Dargah. This Dargah is the last resting place of Persian pious Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, who came to India and served his whole life to people experiencing poverty. Dargah was built during the Mughal empire by ruler Humayun, and its architecture depicts the Mughal architectural style. There are many courtyards, Jamia Masjid, Buland Darwaza and Nizam Gate within Dargah.

The main attraction of this shrine is the qawwali performance, in which devotional songs are sung in praise of Sufi saints. These performances are held every Thursday, attracting tourists to visit the shrine. Annual yours is also arranged, commemorating Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti’s death anniversary. Devotees also offer a charter, packet of Incense and flowers on mazar sharif. People visit this holiest and religious place as a pilgrim. They came to visit the tomb and find spiritual peace at this place. Let’s explore the Ajmer Sharif Dargah tour in detail.

How to reach?

You can handle the mode of transport to reach this Dargah because this place is not popular only in Ajmer, but it’s all in India. You can come by train, bus or flight. The nearest airport is in the capital city of Jaipur. From Jaipur airport, you can travel by public bus from central Ajmer because the Dargah is just about 2km from that point, but if you want to avoid travelling by bus, you can also hire a cab to reach the Dargah quickly. You can also choose a train because trains frequently come to Ajmer junction, and Dargah is only 1.5km from this junction. People who want to plan this travel in the budget-friendly package should choose the train because this is the easiest and cheapest way to reach Ajmer. At the same time, by air, you have to pay for tickets and then for the taxi, which will cost approximately Rs. 1500 to 2000 depending upon your negotiation with the driver. 

When to visit?

November to March is the best period to visit Ajmer because the weather in these months has become a pleasure. However, you should visit the Dargah from Monday to Wednesday because these days, the place is not crowded, but due to the qawwali performances on Thursday and then on the weekend, plenty of devotees come to offer their rituals in the Dargah and long queues in crowded places can bother you. Moreover, it would help if you visited this holy place in the early morning. But if you want to enjoy festivals and performances on an annual occasion, you should visit your Festival.

What to do?

There are a lot of activities to do in Dargah, such as visiting and seeing the majestic beauty of this building, which depicts the Mughal style of architecture. By entering through Nizam Gate, which is the main entrance to the shrine, you can see the floral designs on this Gate. There is also Buland Darwaza on which the flag is hoisted to announce the ceremonies of the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Jannati Darwaza is also a coated door opened for devotees on special occasions.  

The tomb of Chisti is built under a dome-shaped chamber, and silver railings are lining around the chamber. The pillars and walls are made of marble, further enhancing the tomb’s grandeur. On visiting the tomb, people show their respect toward Saint Chisti and make a wish by tying three knots of thread on the tomb, and when their wish is fulfilled, they return and untie any thread from the tomb. It’s said that caretakers and khakis of Dargah are the descendants of saints. Therefore, people came to seek blessings from these caretakers and khadims.

Every Thursday, special qawwali performances are performed by singers at various locations within the Dargah complex. These qawwali songs are sung in praise of Sufi saints, and mostly, these performances are held after 7 p.m. People who come to visit the Dargah also participate in the langar. They contribute to this free meal, served to visitors and poor people at designated times.

Devotees also offer a chadar to cover the Saint’s tomb. This chadar is a small cloth sheet made of good quality fabric and embroidered with verses from the Quran or prayers. They also offer a tray of flowers and a packet of Incense to enhance the beauty and fragrance of Saint’s tomb.

Akbari Masjid

This Mosque was built in 1569 AD by the Mughal emperor Akbar, who came to this Dargah to ask for a son, and when his wish was fulfilled, he built a Masjid in Dargah. The entry door of the Masjid is fully decorated with gold Arabic writings and floral themes, and the whole is built with marble. The blend of white and green marble enhances the glory of the Mosque. 

Jannati Darwaza 

Jannati Darwaza is a silver coated that mostly remains closed to visitors. Still, it is opened on special occasions, such as Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha, in the month of Rajab, when the annual yours of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti is held. It is believed that people who cannot go to Mecca to offer Haj can get spiritual obligation by passing through this door.

Mehfil Khana and Masjid Aulia

Mehfil Khana is the place where Mehfil every night is held in which singers sing qawwali and other Sufi kalam. This grand auditorium is 46 feet square, and qawwali is held there on your days. Masjid Aulia was the first place where Khwaja Baba stayed for a few days when he came for the first time in Ajmer, and after that, this place was turned into a mosque.

Things to buy

If you visit Ajmer and visit this holy place, you should also collect some religious souvenirs and other cultural handicrafts from the Bazaar. The nearest shopping spot is Dargah Bazaar, where you can get tasbeeh ( chaplet of beads), special Rajasthani jewellery, bed sheets, clothes to cover your head, garlands, flowers and many other items. The clothes in this Bazaar are prepared from a tie and die technique, a unique and integral part of Rajasthan. 

What to wear?

It would be best to avoid tight-fitting clothes as these types of dress can discomfort you. On the other hand, you should prefer loose-fitting and cotton fabrics. Especially if you are going in summer, then normal cotton clothes will be comfortable and convenient to carry. Men can wear a kurta, pyjama or a T-shirt with pants. Women can also wear kurtas with loose pants or pyjamas, dresses and shirts with sleeves. Covering the head is also important so men and women can wear scarves on their heads, as this is a gesture of paying respect to this holy place. 

Avoid wearing shoes inside the Dargah complex and carry them in a plastic bag; otherwise, you can also leave them at a shoe stand without paying a small fee to organizers. Avoid wearing offensive or provocative slogans or specific symbols on clothes or other accessories like jewellery scarves. These offensive slogans can depict a specific culture, religion or society and cause quarrelling among devotees.

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What to expect

With all the important information, you should also be aware of some challenges and difficulties you may face during the Dargah Sharif tour. One of them is to face a heavy crowd. A heavy crowd and noise can create difficulty if you visit the shrine during festivals or peak hours. To avoid this crowd, you should visit here in the early morning. Beggars and touts are also abundant and ask money from visitors and offer their services to get money.

Security checkpoints are also established in the way of the Dargah, and security staff checks with metal detectors at the entrance of the Dargah. Therefore, you should avoid using metal accessories during your visit. To avoid any hassles, you must follow the rules and customs of Dargah Sharif. For, avoid capturing photos without permission, do not disturb or touch anything without permission inside the tomb chamber and avoid drinking or eating inside the Dargah complex. 

Final Analysis 

Through the Ajmer Sharif Dargah tour, you will feel light-hearted and spiritual and enjoy a remarkable blend of culture, history and religion. By observation of caretakers and khakis, you can observe a live example of devotion and services. People of different areas and backgrounds came together at this sacred place, and you can feel harmony with all of them. This guide will help you to visit the Dargah complex more responsively. Thanks for giving your attention to it; now plan a wonderful trip to Rajasthan, explore its beauty, and get spiritual obligation by visiting this  Ajmer sharif.