Khwaja mere Khwaja

I wanted to visit the Khwaja Gharib Nawaz Dargah in Ajmer from a long time. And finally got a chance to go there. The place definitely has something in it that is powerful and has a different vibe.

वही अजमेर जाते हैं, जिन्‍हें ख्‍वाजा बुलाते हैं!

Anyone whom I told I am planning to go to Ajmer told me to be careful. Lot of pickpockets, con men and stuff. I was indeed super careful and did not carry anything but my mobile and some cash. All said, I had a very peaceful experience. I was definitely careful but no one conned me or stole from me.

The actual room where the tomb/Dargah of the Sufi saint, Moinuddin Chishti is located is always super crowded. There are priests inside who will cover your head with a green cloth and bless you (and of course ask for some donation). That’s ok as long as they don’t force you or con you.

There are 3 gates from which people can enter. There was a place just outside the Chisti’s shrine where people sit and read the Quran. It was so peaceful to sit there. I sat there for a while and meditated and it was so calming. It was strange cause there was so much crowd just 10 meters away. Yet this place was so calm.

People mainly offer Gulab Chadar (rose and sacred sheets). You can see a lot of people selling it outside. There is also a langar (free food served) and the vessels used to cook the food were donated by Akbar. Yes the vessel is being used for more than 500 years to make food.

There were people sitting around the walls of the enclosure around Chisti’s shrine. Many of them behaved weirdly. Some were seen crying, some were vigorously shaking their heads, some were silently staring. I did not understand why the people sitting here behaved this way.

There were people singing Qawwali in the Darga. While it is not the best I have heard, sitting there and listening to them for about 5 mins slowly put me into a nice trance. The music, rhythm (and place maybe) definitely had and impact.

Overall I like the place inside the Dargah complex. However the lanes outside the Dargah are in a pathetic condition. It is SO dirty and impossible to even walk. There are so many shops serving food in these extremely bad conditions. I just hope this is fixed somehow.