Dargah Khwaja Sahib-Ajmer

The Dargah Khawaja Sarif or Ajmer Sharif is a holy place ,in Ajmer previously known as "Ajaymeru" of Rajasthan state.Dargah sharif important not only for Muslims but also for the peoples from all religions from all over the world.People come here from all over the world to make their life happy. The shrine has the grave (Maqbara) of the revered saint, Moinuddin Chisti.The main gate to the shrine is the Nizam Gate, following which is Shahjahani Gate which was erected by Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan. It is followed by Buland Darwaza, upon which the Urs flag is hoisted, marking the beginning.The main attraction of the Urs are the kalanders from Mehrauli, called the friends of Gharib Nawaz, walk to Ajmer all the way from Delhi every year. They offer colourful chadders with gold and silver threads

It is the landmark of Ajmer and one of the holiest of Muslim shrines in the country. It has a secular appeal and revered by people of all sects. Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti, a Sufi saint from Persia made this place his abode from 1192 till he died in 1236 AD. Mughal King Humayun completed the construction of the shrine. The Dargah is approached through a massive gate with silver doors built in several stages. Emperor Akbar made an annual pilgrimage to Ajmer.

Mughal Emperors Akbar and Shah Jahan have built mosques in the complex. The saint's tomb is in the centre of the second courtyard and the actual tomb inside is surrounded by a silver railing and partly by a marble screen. The tomb is of marble and the dome is gold plated. Offerings generally consist of flowers, mainly roses and sweets. The aroma of burning incense sticks has a mesmerizing effect on the devotees. The mystic atmosphere inside the holy shrine is suffused with serenity, sanctity and spirituality.

As you enter the Dargah courtyard, you see two massive 'degs', meaning cauldrons. Mughal Emperors Akbar and Jahangir donated these cauldrons originally but they were replaced in the nineteenth century. The larger cauldron can hold as much as 4480 kilos of rice while the smaller one contains 2240 kilos of rice.

There is an unending stream of devotees to the shrine throughout the year but its periphery show considerably more heightened all round activity when millions of devotees throng the shrine during the Urs fair. the entire city of Ajmer become alive in their presence. Urs is held on the seventh lunar month according to Islamic calendar but varies according to the solar calendar. Sufis and believers converge from all over India and abroad, as it is believed that those visiting the shrine during Urs receive special blessings of the saint. It is customary to cover your head while inside the complex. Accordingly, remember to carry a skullcap or a scarf. The skull-cap is on sale in the colourful market just outside the Dargah. It is also customary to make floral offerings, mainly of roses, incense sticks and sweets that are locally available.

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Akshaya Tritiya or Akha Teej

Akshaya Tritiya or Akha Teej, is considered to be as auspicious as a major Hindu festival in India. It is believed to be a propitious day to start a new venture, buy something significant, and most importantly, the best day or muhurat to get married. All over the country, this day is considered to be auspicious for buying gold jewellery. Considering this, many jewellers and jewellery brands even offer great discounts and deals on jewellery. But, this day holds a more important cultural and religious significance than just that.

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Importance and religious significance

Akshaya means ‘eternal’ and tritiya stands for ‘third day'. This day falls on the third day of the bright lunar fortnight of the Hindu month of Vaishakh, and so the name. It is said that holy rites, rituals and acts of charity performed on this day bring unending bliss, grace, and prosperity. The grand importance of this day roots back to Indian mythology.

Beliefs and stories related to Akshaya Tritiya:

It is said that even the God of wealth and the treasurer of all deities, Kubera, prayed to Goddess Lakshmi on this special day, and was granted the gift of perpetual wealth and prosperity. That is why this day is so auspicious for starting new ventures, buying a new property or gold, or getting married, as it assures prosperity and benefits. In many households, a day-long Kubera-Lakshmi puja is performed.

The holy river Ganga descended on Earth from the heavens on this day. Hindus all over the worlds prepare to lure their money over luxury and gold. Hindus have always been believers in the concept of auspicious timings and days to make purchases. One such occasion is Akshaya Tritiya. Advertised by various stores from the past one week, this auspicious day falls today. While it is known that any meaningful activity started on this day would be fruitful, and buying ornaments has becomes customary, there is little known about the history of this festival.
Here are five things you probably did not know about Akshaya Tritiya:
1. The beginning in Hinduism
In Hinduism, Akshay Tritiya was the day when Ganesha (Vinayaka), the god of wisdom and obstacle removal, started writing the epic Mahabharata to Ved Vyasa’s dictation. This day is ruled by god Vishnu, the preserver-god in the Hindu Trinity. According to Hindu mythology, on this day the Treta Yuga began and the river Ganges, the most sacred river of India, descended to the earth from the heaven.

2. Happy Birthday Lost Parasurama
Akshaya Tritiya, also known as “Akha Teej”, is traditionally the birthday of Lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The day also marks the beginning of the “SatyaYug” or the Golden Age – the first of the four Yugas.
3. The Jain beliefs
Followers of Jainism believe Akshaya Tritiya to be a holy and supremely auspicious day. t is associated with Lord Adinatha, also known as Rishabhadeva, first of the twenty-four Tīrthankaras.
4. The Jat farmers
This day is most auspicious day for the Jat farming community. Early morning, a male member of a Jat family goes to the field with a shovel. All the animals and birds encountered on the way to the field are omens and predictions for rains and crops.
5. Varsitap
Those noble people who perform the austerity of Varsitap complete the austerity on this day by taking sugar-cane juice in the cool shadow of Shatrunjay. Varsitap is the fasting on alternate days that has been followed by many after Rishabadeva initiated it.

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