Essays of The Dargah of Khwaja Gharib-Un-Nawaz of Ajmer

Essays of The Dargah of Khwaja Gharib-Un-Nawaz of Ajmer : Sufism (Tasawwuf) forms the cornerstone of Islamic religious thought and practices, as it is the supreme source to attain spiritual truth and bliss through moral ethics, selfless love to God and service to His creatures without discrimination. It is founded on the total surrender to the will of God and absolute devotion to him alone. It envisages a peaceful harmonious social order for the moral and spiritual progress of society. These cardinal principles of humanism and co-existence were propounded and preached by all Muslim saints and their strivings immensely contributed to the transformation of the character and attitudes of a large number of people in the subcontinent. Of all the mystic orders (Silsilahs) which emerged during the medieval period in South Asia, The Chishtiyah order established in India by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (1140-1235), truly the “Sufi of the Millennium”, became the most popular, and his shrine at Ajmer, the Centre of devotion to all ranks, society, rulers, elites, commoners, masses and saints. The present work deals with the teachings, thoughts, and practices of the great Chishti saint, Khwaja Moinuddin, and the history, working, organization of his shrine, the duties and the functional role of its custodian/keepers and supervisors (Khuddam), sources of income, ceremonies and crowds of pilgrims daily, and on the occasion of annual urs at the dargah. The work is based on contemporary literature, vast and varied, including the documents of lands grants and endowments given by Mughal nobles especially of Hindu chieftains-the Rajputs and Marathas-for the maintenance of Khuddam and upkeeps of the shrine, throwing light on their devotional attachment to it and on the religious climate of the period. These were highly appreciated by specialists of the important area of study, which prompted the author to publish them in the form of a book. A critical review of the thesis of P.M. Currie on the great saint and the functioning of this shrine, presented at Oxford for the degree of D. Phil., in particular, merits attention. Thus the present work undoubtedly makes a major and valuable contribution to the recent studies attempted till now on the significance of the life and role of Shaikh Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer, his shrine and also of Khuddam in transforming socio-religious beliefs and ways of thinking of people in the Indian subcontinent (South Asia).