Continuing from the definitions shared from my previous visit to the Dargah in Delhi, last week I traveled to Ajmer and visited the Hazrat Khawaja Gharib Nawaz Dargah.
- Hazrat is an Arabic title used to honor a person. For example His Highness. Hazrat means the auspicious or holy presence.
- Khwaja is a Persian title used for a Sufi teacher that roughly translates to ‘Lord’ or ‘Master’.
- The name Nawaz is a Muslim boy’s name meaning kind, loving, soothing, and generous.
- Finally, the Dargah is a Persian word meaning a shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure often a Sufi saint, in this case, Saint Moinuddin Chishti.
The place was not crowded at all even when the tourist season in Rajasthan has not ended and the climate is pleasant.
The entry is through a majestic multi-storied gateway at the end of a long and narrow road lined with shops that sell all kinds of imaginable things from toys to jewelry and carpets to flowers is also littered with homeless people which is a sugar-coated American term for beggers.
Once inside the ambiance is silent yet powerful and I could see some people entering, others leaving while some others lingering and indulged in people-watching.
There is also a huge pond that is meant for Waju that is cleaning the hands and feet with water before offering prayers. The pond also had a fountain.
Within the Dargah complex are several gates some of which are simple and others are beautifully decorated with paintings of floral patterns and the most remarkable is the golden Shahajani Darwajah as seen in the collage below. Mughal emperors like Shahjahan and Akbar paid regular visits here and constructed a lot of the structures. The latest addition was made by the Maharaja of Baroda.
Another remarkable feature is this large aluminum ware where people insert currency notes and these are perhaps donations to the Dargah.
This is the main Dargah entrance and women are not allowed to enter. It is richly decorated especially the chandelier is very large and attractive.
I roamed around the Dargah to feel the vibes and felt that the place is very powerful in terms of its charisma and spirituality. I found this to be a great place of peace where the mind gets relaxed though would advise being aware of many religious people who would approach you and tie a thread on the wrist or simply offer blessings using a peacock-feather ed fan in return for money both within and outside the Dargah.
Accessibility Features
There are ramps throughout the Dargah premises to ease the movement of those using a wheelchair.
Here’s a snapshot:
Ramp access.
A wheelchair-accessible Entrance.
A wheelchair-accessible Restroom/Toilet.
A wheelchair-accessible Parking.
