Dargah Ajmer Sharif: A Shrine For Kings and Commoners

In the narrow lanes of the old city of Ajmer in Rajasthan is a beacon that calls to the faithful, a shrine whose pearly white dome topped with a lotus and a gold crown sets it apart from everything else in the vicinity. This is the Dargah Ajmer Sharif, the final resting place of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti who is believed to fulfill the wishes of the devout. Around 450 years ago, the Sufi mystic blessed a Mughal Emperor with an heir, and lesser mortals have been flocking here ever since.

As you approach the dargah (a shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure), you are swept up in the scent of flowers arranged as offerings in neat piles in small, wayside stalls. The chants of devotees and the lilting echoes of qawwalis set the tone for a visit to one of the most visited Sufi shrines in India.