| 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. | |
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. 
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here to know more |
| 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. |
| 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) | 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. |
| 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. |
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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