The district of Ajmer in the princely state of Rajasthan has the holy shrine of the Sufi Saint, Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Known as the ‘Dargah Sharif’, the last resting place of the saint who died in 1235 lies at the foot of a barren hill. The saint’s marble domed mausoleum is India’s most important shrine for Muslims and receives an endless flow of visitors of all religions as the sick, the troubled and the childless come here seeking a boon, a blessing or just peace of mind. Legend has it that the Mughal emperor, Akbar came here to the saint in the 16th century in quest of a boon for an heir and the saint obliged.
The Urs or annual pilgrimage of the devout is celebrated each May at the Dargah with millions of pilgrims arriving in Ajmer to pay homage. Lengthy queues of several kilometres snake their way past the tomb at the shrine while outside the Dargah precincts, two massive cauldrons cook sweet rice garnished with dry fruits and condiments to be served as ‘tabarukh’ or sanctified food. Within the dargah lies a mosque, built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Like all of Shah Jahan’s buildings, the mosque too, is an architectural marvel - a magnificent building in white marble with a long and narrow courtyard for the faithful to pray in, richly embellished with ornate calligraphic inscriptions, delicate carvings and detailed trelliswork.
Although Ajmer does not have an airport of its own, there is an airport at Jaipur (130 km away), from where regular buses and taxis come to Ajmer.
Ajmer is very well linked by train; there are frequent (in many cases daily) trains to and from the city to other destinations in India, including Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur. Delhi is connected to Ajmer by the fast Shatabdi Express, easily the quickest and most comfortable way of getting to Ajmer.
A good national and state highway network links Ajmer to other parts of Rajasthan and many important cities in India. Hired transport is easily available, be it cars, jeeps, minibuses or MUVs and almost all come with experienced drivers. State and interstate roadways buses, RTDC conducted tours and coaches connect Ajmer to most important cities in the region, including Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mt. Abu, Jaisalmer, Mumbai and Delhi.
The Urs or annual pilgrimage of the devout is celebrated each May at the Dargah with millions of pilgrims arriving in Ajmer to pay homage. Lengthy queues of several kilometres snake their way past the tomb at the shrine while outside the Dargah precincts, two massive cauldrons cook sweet rice garnished with dry fruits and condiments to be served as ‘tabarukh’ or sanctified food. Within the dargah lies a mosque, built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Like all of Shah Jahan’s buildings, the mosque too, is an architectural marvel - a magnificent building in white marble with a long and narrow courtyard for the faithful to pray in, richly embellished with ornate calligraphic inscriptions, delicate carvings and detailed trelliswork.
Although Ajmer does not have an airport of its own, there is an airport at Jaipur (130 km away), from where regular buses and taxis come to Ajmer.
Ajmer is very well linked by train; there are frequent (in many cases daily) trains to and from the city to other destinations in India, including Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur. Delhi is connected to Ajmer by the fast Shatabdi Express, easily the quickest and most comfortable way of getting to Ajmer.
A good national and state highway network links Ajmer to other parts of Rajasthan and many important cities in India. Hired transport is easily available, be it cars, jeeps, minibuses or MUVs and almost all come with experienced drivers. State and interstate roadways buses, RTDC conducted tours and coaches connect Ajmer to most important cities in the region, including Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mt. Abu, Jaisalmer, Mumbai and Delhi.
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