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Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Ajmer Sharif Dargah

pilgrimage site · Rajasthan

Ajmer Sharif is the most revered Sufi shrine in India — the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the 12th-century saint who founded the Chishti order.

State
Rajasthan
Type
Pilgrimage Site
Best season
Winter
Things to do
2+

Ajmer Sharif is the most revered Sufi shrine in India — the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the 12th-century saint who founded the Chishti order. Drawing millions of pilgrims of all faiths, especially during the annual Urs, it is a powerful symbol of India's syncretic spiritual culture.

A short history

The dargah houses the tomb of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, who settled in Ajmer around 1192 and founded the Chishti order in India; the shrine grew in stature under Mughal patronage, with Akbar reportedly walking on foot from Agra to Ajmer as an act of devotion, and successive emperors adding gateways and buildings to the complex.

Why Ajmer Sharif Dargah matters

India's most revered Sufi shrine, drawing devotees of every faith, especially during the annual Urs festival.

How many people come

1 crore

dargah in 2024 · Estimate

When to go

Best visited October to March, though hill shrines may open only May-October.

Why visit

India's holiest Sufi shrine — the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, drawing pilgrims of every faith.

Cultural notes

The Chishti dargah is the spiritual heart of South Asian Sufism, famous for its qawwali music and an ethos of devotion open to people of all religions.

How to reach

At Ajmer; nearest airport Jaipur (~135 km) or Kishangarh; Ajmer Junction is a major railway station. Often paired with Pushkar (15 km).

2 days in Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Take the whole plan, or add any single stop.

Day 1

Day 1

Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra

Day 1

Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra

Commissioned by Qutb-ud-Din Aibak in 1192 and finished by 1199, with a screen of arches added by Iltutmish in 1213 — which makes it one of the oldest surviving mosques in India and the oldest standing building in Ajmer. The name means "shed of two and a half days". Hindu masons built most of it under Afghan supervision, and it shows: the pillars are Indian work, reused and recut, no two quite alike. It stopped being used as a mosque in 1947 and is a protected monument now, a short climb above the dargah. Usually quiet, even when the dargah below is not.

Day 1

Dargah Bazaar & Sohan Halwa

Dargah Bazaar & Sohan Halwa

Day 1

Evening qawwali

Evening qawwali

Day 2

Day 2

Ana Sagar Lake

Ana Sagar Lake

Day 2

Taragarh Fort

Taragarh Fort

Day 2

Day trip to Pushkar

Day trip to Pushkar

Food & cuisine

Signature dishes and local flavours to look for in Ajmer Sharif Dargah.

2 dishes

Ajmeri Sohan Halwa

A dense, saffron-and-nut halwa sold in tins outside the dargah — the classic offering pilgrims carry home.

Nihari-Kulcha

A slow-cooked Mughlai meat stew, part of Ajmer's Muslim-quarter food lanes around the dargah, especially during Urs.

Ajmer Sharif Dargah guide & itineraries

Ajmer Sharif Dargah is perfect for

spiritualheritagefood

What & where to eat

Dargah Bazaar

Sohan Halwa

Ajmer's signature dense sweet

Dargah Bazaar

Dargah Bazaar street food

Kebabs, biryani and sweets

Mughlai

Rich non-veg dishes near the dargah

Sufi-kitchen fare

Rich non-veg dishes near the dargah

Kadhi Kachori

Local snack meal

Rajasthani Thali

Vegetarian thali option

Nearby getaways

Pushkar

~30 min

Kishangarh

~30 min

Frequently asked questions

What is Ajmer Sharif?
The dargah (shrine) of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, one of India's most visited pilgrimage sites for people of all faiths.
How far is Ajmer from Pushkar?
About 15 km, roughly 30 minutes; the two are usually visited together.

Things to do

How to spend your time in Ajmer Sharif Dargah.

Qawwali at the dargah

Devotional Sufi music in the evenings

Reviews & ratings

What travellers say about Ajmer Sharif Dargah

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