Fairs & Festivals in Ajmer
URS
FAIR (Twice a Year)
The lakeside city of Ajmer is located in central Rajasthan, and is held in great
reverence by devotees of all communities who call it 'Ajmer Sharif' (Holy Ajmer).
It is here that the mortal remains of the highly respected Sufi saint Khwaja
Moin-ud-din Chishti lie buried. The Khwaja came from Persia and established
the Chishtia order of fakirs in India. He is popularly known as Gharib Nawaz
(protector of the poor) because he dedicated his entire life to the service
of mankind.
His spartan life spanned almost a hundred years and he embraced death in solitude
while he had withdrawn to his cell for six days, asking not to be disturbed.
The Dargah Sharif in Ajmer is the place where the Saint's mortal remains lie
buried and is the site of the largest Muslim fair in India. More than five lakh
devotees belonging to different communities gather from all parts of the subcontinent
to pay homage to the Khwaja on his Urs (death anniversary) during the first
six days of Rajab (seventh month of the Islamic calendar.)
The pilgrims who come to seek the blessings of the Khwaja make rich offerings
called nazrana at the holy spot where the saint has been entombed. The offerings
of rose and jasmine flowers, sandalwood paste, perfumes and incense contribute
to the fragrance that floats in the air inside the shrine. Also offered by devotees
are the chadar, ghilaph and neema, which are votive offerings for the tomb.
These are brought by devotees on their heads and handed over to the khadims
inside the sanctum sanctorum. Outside the sanctum sanctorum of the dargah, professional
singers called qawwals in groups and sing the praises of the saint in a characteristic
high pitched voice. People gather around them and listen attentively, sometimes
clapping to the rhythm of their instruments.
The Urs is initiated with the hoisting of a white flag on the dargah by the
Sajjada Nashin (successor representative) of Chishtis. It is done on the 25th
of Jamadi-ul-Akhir (sixth lunar month), with the accompaniment of music. On
the last day of the sixth month, the Jannati-Darwaza (gateway of heaven) is
flung open early in the morning. People cross this gate seven times with the
belief that they will be assured a place in heaven. On the 1st of Rajab, the
tomb is washed with rose water and sandalwood paste and anointed with perfumes.
This ritual is called ghusal. The tomb is then covered with an embroidered silk
cloth by the Sajjada Nashin.
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