Place : Ajmer,
Rajasthan
Month: May
Significance : Death
anniversary of Sufi
Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti
The
Urs are held at Ajmer , Rajasthan every year at the tomb of the Sufi
Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, commemorating his symbolic union with God.
It is celebrated from the 1st to the 6th day of Rajab; the seventh
month of the Islamic calender.
Pilgrims
from all over the world gather to pay homage. The celebration is initiated
by the hoisting of a white flag on the dargah by the 'Sajjada Nashin' - successor representative of the
Chistis, to the accompaniment of
music. The tomb is washed with rosewater and covered with an embroidered
silk cloth. Qawalis (poems) are presented in the saint's honour and religious
assemblies (mehfils) and 'fatihas' (mass prayers) are held. Kheer is distributed among the devotees as
blessed food.
The much respected saint
who came from Persia, established the Chishti order of 'fakirs' in India.
The pilgrims make offerings of flowers, sandalwood paste, incense, money
and votive offerings which they bring carrying on their head at the spot
where he is buried.
The
lakeside town of Ajmer also called Ajmer Sharif (holy) comes alive during the Urs which attracts
thousands of devotees irrespective of caste, religion etc. At the huge fair;
the largest Muslim fair in India, that
springs up at this time, religious objects, books, rosaries,
embroidered carpets and silver ornaments are on sale.
How
to get there:
Ajmer is located 132 kms south-west of
Jaipur and 198 kms east of Jodhpur.
Air : Nearest Airport is at Jaipur
Rail : Ajmer is a railway junction on the Delhi-Ahmedabad
section of the Western Railway.
Road : It is connected by road to
Jaipur, Jodhpur,
Bikaner, Udaipur and Kota. During the Urs, special buses
run from cities all over India to Ajmer.