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Some
of the Important Historical Places to Visit in Ajmer.
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Hazrat
Khwaja Fakhruddin (R.A.) was the eldest son
of Khwaja Sahib (R.A.) who earned his livelihood
by farming in Mandal town. He was a great saint
and a scholar as well . After twenty years of Khwaja
Sahib. (R.A.) death he died in Sarwar town,
some 40 miles away from Ajmer. His Mazar is located
near a pond in the town. His Urs is celebrated on
the 3rd of Shaban every year with great fervour.
He was blessed with five sons. One of his sons,
Hazrat Khwaja Hussamuddin was a perfect Sufi. His
grave is at Sanbar Sharif. Every year on 13 and
14 Rajab Urs is organised.
To
Reach Sarwar Sherif You can take a ST bus
from Ajmer Bus Stand which is 15 minutes away from
the Dargah. or you can hire a Sumo. There is regular
Bus after every half an hour from Ajmer to Sarwar.
It take around two hous to reach Sarwar.
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Dhai
Din Ka Jhopra or Dhai Din Ki Masjid is a grand Mosque,
made of red stone and located at a high place. Sultan
Shamsuddin Altamash got it repaired and made some
modifications. One can reach the building, it starts
from Dargah Bazar to west along the boundary wall
of Dargah Sharif. After crossing Tirpoli Darwaza,
there is Mohalla Inderkot. At a short distance from
Inderkot this mosque is located on right hand side.
click
here to know more
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It
is a grand fort, located on a steep hill in south
of Dargah Sharif, The height of the hill is 800
ft. During the reignof Rai Pithora, it was a famous
and a strong fort and was considered it cannot
be conquered. But Sultan Shahabuddin Ghauri conquered
it without any difficulty and appointed Syed Meeran
Husain (R.A.) as the Garrison Commander (Qiledaar).
Night
Attack on Taragarh.
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Ana
Sagar is a beautiful lake in the heart of the city.
There is a high hill on the south western side of
Ana Sagar, known as Sada Bahar hil, On the South
western corner of the hill is a small cave having
a Tomb on the Top of it. Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (R.A.)
took seclusion here for the first time. He used
to sit on the stone-bench lying inside the Chillah
Sharif and engaged himself in Contemplation.
On the North-Eastern
side of Sada Bahar is located the Chillah of
Hazrat Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar kaki (R.A.).
It is the place where Hazrat engaged himself in
prayers when in Ajmer
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On
the top of a hill in the South of Dargah Sharif
is a green coloured tomb. It is said that a brick
of holy Mazar of hazrat Piran-e-Pir Dastagir
(R.A.) is buried. That is why the place is famous
as Chillah Bare Pir Sahib, otherwise Hazrat Piran
Pir (R.A) never came to India.
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Mir Osman
Ali Khan, The Nizam of Hyderabad Deccan, erected the
main gate of the Dargah Sharif in 1911. Upstairs small
drums beat, during the day and night at an appointed
hour. A view of Dargah Bazaar can be seen from the
top of the gate.
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Immediately
following the Nizam gate is the Shahjahani gate erected
by Emperor Shahjahan. Before the construction of the
Nizam Gate this used to be the main gate. Above the
gate the Kalma Sharif is inscribed in a beautiful
style. The doors are made of fine timber covered with
silver-plated metal. In the building above the gate
there are two huge beating drums.
.
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Between
Shahjahani gate and Buland Darwaza on the right hand
side is situated the Akbari Mosque erected by Akbar
with red sand stone, A religious institution (madarsa)
has been located in this mosque called Darul-uloom.
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Buland
Darwaza is a high entrance that was erected by Mahmood
Khilji or one of his successors. Before the commencement
of Urs Sharif a flag is hoisted on top of this gate
with grand ceremony on the 25th Jamadiulsaani for
ushering the 'Urs' of Khwaja Saheb, which starts from
1st of Rajab (The 7th month of lunar Calendar)
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Langer
Khana (Free Kitchen)
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Langar
Khana is a free public kitchen where about 5 mounds
of barley meal is cooked twice a day and distributed
to the poor without any discrimination.
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In memory
of Queen Mary's visit to the Shrine, the roof of
the tank was constructed by the British Government
for the convenience of the worshippers.
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| Mazar
(tomb) of Khwaja Sahib's Daughter |
The Mazar of Bibi
Hafiz Jamal, daughter of Khwaja Sahib, is situated to the
south of the Shrine. There is a small dome with a kalas
on top of it. The doors of this tomb are plated with silver.
| Ibadat
Khana (Place of Recitation) |
The
two enclosures situated just outside the southern
gate of the Shrine adjacent to the tomb of Bibi-Hafiz
Jamal bear the graves of some of the early descendants.
The Holy Quran is recited by the devotees especially
by ladies in these enclosures and the reward of
this virtuous action is offered to the noble soul
of Hazrat Khwaja Saheb.
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This gate
too is situated on the western side of the Shrine
adjacent to the tomb of Gaiti Ara. The doors of
the gate are covered with silver metal. It is opened
only four times during the year, viz twice on ids
(for one day) during the annual Urs (for six days)
and on the 6th of Shawwal, the Urs of Khwaja Saheb's
Pir.
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The
place where Khwaja Sahib stayed for a few days,
when he came to Ajmer for the first time, has now
been turned into a mosque called Aulia Masjid. It
is made of white marble. Devotees use it only for
recitation of Holy Quran and thanks giving prayers.
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This small hall on the southern side of the Shrine
was erected by Nawab Muhammad Ali of Arcot around
1800 for the comfort of the devotees. It is also
used for the death rituals by Khadims.
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On
either side of the second Buland Darwaza in front
of Saham Chiragh (courtyard lamp), there are two huge
Degs (cauldrons for cooking food) fixed into solid
masonry in which a palatable mixture of rice sugar,
ghee (butter) and dried fruits is cooked for distribution
to the public as tabarruk. The circumference at the
edge of the larger cauldron is 10-1/4 feet. It cooks
70 mounds of rice, while the smaller Deg takes 28
mounds. One of them was presented by Akbar in 1567
A.D. The princes or the well-to-do pilgrims order
these Degs to be cooked generally during the Urs period.
Degs when food is being distributed .
Bari
Deg : Inside the Sahan-e-Chiragh and on the right
side of Buland Darwaza is located Bari Deg. Emperor
Akbar pledged to visit Ajmer Sharif on foot and presented
a large cauldron if victorious in Chittaurgarh battle.
So he kept his word after winning the battle. So he
kept his words after winning the battle. The circumference
of the cauldron (Deg) is 12.5 yards and 125 mounds
of rice can be cooked in it at a time. It was presented
in 976 Hijra.
Chhoti
Deg : It is located on the left side of Buland
Darwaza inside Sahan-e-Chiragh. It was presented by
Sultan Nooruddin Jahangir in 1013 Hijra. Eighty mounds
of rice can be cooked in it at a time.
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On the
west of the Saham Chiragh stands the magnificent building
of Samakhana or Mahfilkhana (auditorium with darbar hall)
which was built by Nawab Bashir-ud-Dowla Sir Asmaan Jah of
Hyderabad Deccan in 1888-91 A.D. This spacious hall is 46
feet square with a gallery of 14 feet running around it. It
is used for 6 days only during the annual Urs for religious
‘Mahfils’ in which Qawwali is the chief item of
programme commencing at 11 P.M. and ending with Fatiha (a
religious ceremony) in the early hours of morning at 4 A.M.
| The Mausoleum
And Begami Daalaan |
Overhanging
the principal eastern to the Shrine or Mausoleum, there is
a handsome porch known as Begami Daalaan which was built in
1643 AD by Princess Jahan Ara Begam, the favorite daughter
of Emperor Shah Jahan.
The
walls and the beautiful marble pillars of the Begami Daalaan
were done in colorful gold in 1888 AD. Later on, the ceiling
of this Daalaan was also embellished in gold with the money
donated by a Muslim merchant of Bombay. This beautiful portico
was used by the Begams or ladies of the Moghul harem during
their frequent visits to the shrine.
There
are two simultaneous entrances to the Shrine through the Begami
Daalaan. The doors of both of them are mounted with heavy
silver plate carved in ornamental details. The tomb is of
white marble inlaid with pieces of precious stones and is
daily bestrewed with sandal-paste and Itars (perfumes). It
is always covered with very costly ‘ghilaafs’
(coverings made of velvet and silk) embroidered with pleasing
gold and silver tracings.
Over
the tomb, there is a silver ‘chaparkhat’ (canopy)
inlaid with pieces of mother-of-pearl presented by Emperor
Jahangir. Between the four poles supporting this `chaparkhat’,
there is silver `katehra’ (railing) with an arch towards
the south. There is another outer silver katehra running around
the tomb at a distance of about 2 feet. The devotees are led
into this space to offer flowers and prayers over the tomb.
The ceiling of the dome is covered by a costly velvet chatgiri.
A peculiar kind of fascinating aroma prevails in the shrine
which inspires the visitors with a spontaneous and irresistible
urge for devotion and homage towards the asleep saint. As
soon as one enters the interior of the shrine, he feels as
if he is in the presence of some exalted soul or mighty spiritual
king.
On the south wing of the Mehfil khana stands the Jama Masjid
or Shah Jahani Mosque, which is a fine piece of Moghul architecture.
All the 99 sacred names of Allah with 33 Quranic verses
are beautifully inscribed in the mosque.
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