Dargah Sharif, Ajmer

Dargah Sharif of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer is among the holiest places in India not just for Muslims but for people of all faiths. The Sufi Saint is an embodiment of peace and harmony and is held in high esteem by all believers. 750 years old, the Dargah Sharif has been patronized by the rich and powerful and revered by all. The saint has always been known as Garib Nawaz as he is supposed to fulfill wishes and look after the poor and the downtrodden.

The Dargah itself is at the foot of the Taragarh hill. The tomb and the mausoleum of the saint form the sanctum of the Dargah. There are also two mighty gates called Bulan Darwaza. One Buland Darwaza was built by Sultan Ghyasuddin Khilji of Mandoo (ruler of Malwa from 1469 to 1500 A.D); the other by H.E.H. Nisam Usman Ali Khan of Hyderabad Deccan in 1915 A.D. This gateway is now the main entrance of Dargah Sharif and the above it is Naqqar Khana (drum house) containing two pairs of huge naqqars (beating drums). These were offered by Emperor Akbar after his victory in a campaign of Bengal. These drums are sounded to the accompaniment of Nafeeries and Shahnais each day and night at a fixed time, by musicians at the Dargah.

The Dargah Sharif is a large complex of several attractive buildings, tombs, courtyards and Daalaans that are beautiful examples of Mughal architecture. Emperor Akbar was the first Mughal ruler to visit the Dargah on foot. He built the Akbari Masjid in the Dargah in 1571 AD.