This Holy Dargah is situated in Ajmer, about 138 km southwest of Jaipur. The Sufi saint Khawaja Muin-ud-din Chishti lived here. He founded the Chistiya Order, the main Sufi order in India. His tomb, the Dargah, is one of the most visited Muslim shrines in India.

Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra means the “2½ day Mosque,” which is how long it is said to have taken Muhammad of Ghur to build it in 1195. It has giant pillars and Persian lettering on its seven arches. It is located half a km past Dargah. Most travelers come to Ajmer on their way to or from Pushkar.

Thousands of devoted Muslims come to Ajmer during the Urs Mela to visit the tomb of Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti. When he died in 1236, he was buried in a small brick tomb in the northern part of town. A marble complex called the Dargah now surrounds it. Visitors enter the complex from Dargah Bazaar through an ornate gate that leads to a courtyard. There are two gigantic containers, called degs (3m wide), full of rice that is distributed to devotees as tabarukh, sanctified food. The mosque built by Akbar is to the right. The tomb of Muin-ud-din Chishti is a central marble building surrounded by a silver railing. Nearby is a superb mosque built by Shah Jahan. A small donation is expected from the tourists and pilgrims.

The six-day Urs commemorates the death anniversary of the prophet Moin-ud-din Chisti. It is held in the Islamic month of Rajab, the time when the Khwaja became one with Allah. Muslims from all over India and the world abroad visit Ajmer during the festival.

Hazrat Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti was the founder of Islam in India. He was one of the greatest preachers in the world. The revered prophet undertook to propagate Islam in India by the most peaceful means and with great forbearance. When Khwaja arrived, the Muslim community in India was not as large as it is now.

The Urs begins with flag hoisting at the Buland Darwaza. The main entrance to the holy tomb remains open throughout the day and night and the entire place is decked up with the special shops, lights and festoons.

Apart from its religious significance, a colorful fair is also held as part of the anniversary celebrations. One of the biggest to be held in India, the Ajmer fair is a time to witness sessions of qawali singing. The highlight of the festival is, however, the assembly of poets—the mushairas—where the best of Urdu poets share a common platform.