Quick answer: Ajmer Sharif Dargah is the shrine of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, known as Gharib Nawaz, in the old city of Ajmer, Rajasthan, about 2 km from Ajmer railway station. People of every faith visit. The gates open around 4–5 AM and close around 9–10 PM depending on season. Cover your head, remove footwear, and dress modestly. The annual Urs is held in the Islamic month of Rajab.
Few places in India draw such a mix of people. In the lanes below Taragarh hill, families from across India and abroad carry baskets of roses and chadars towards the same white marble dome. We take guests here often, usually on a Jaipur–Ajmer–Pushkar trip.
Ajmer Sharif Dargah at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Shrine of | Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (Gharib Nawaz), Sufi saint of the Chishti order |
| Saint’s dates | Born c. 1141 in Sistan (present-day Iran), died 1236 in Ajmer |
| Location | Dargah Bazaar, old city of Ajmer, at the foot of Taragarh hill |
| From Ajmer station | About 2 km |
| Managed by | Dargah Committee, under the Dargah Khwaja Saheb Act, 1955 (Ministry of Minority Affairs) |
| Gate timings | Approx. 5 AM – 9 PM in winter, 4 AM – 10 PM in summer |
| Entry | Free |
| Annual Urs | 1–6 Rajab (Islamic calendar); expected around mid-December 2026 and late Nov–early Dec 2027 |
| Time needed | 1–2 hours; longer on Thursdays, Fridays and during Urs |
| Pairs with | Pushkar, about 15 km away |
Timings follow the daily prayer and ritual schedule, and change during Ramzan and the Urs. Check locally before you go.
Who Was Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti?
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti was a Sufi saint born around 1141 in Sistan, in present-day Iran. He travelled through Central Asia, came to India and settled in Ajmer, where he spent the rest of his life teaching love, humility and service to the poor. That’s where the title Gharib Nawaz, “benefactor of the poor,” comes from. He died in 1236 and was buried where the shrine stands.
He brought the Chishti Sufi order to the subcontinent; Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi belongs to the same line. The shrine follows Sunni Sufi tradition.
Why is it famous? It’s one of the most important Sufi shrines in South Asia. Visitors of every faith come with a wish (mannat) and return to give thanks. Akbar visited at least fourteen times, and Mughal patronage shaped much of the complex. The evening qawwali, the giant degs and the Urs draw huge crowds.
Ajmer Sharif Dargah History and Who Built It
The complex grew over several centuries rather than being built at once:
| Structure | Built / donated by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tomb dome (white marble) | Completed 1532 | The shrine’s central landmark |
| Buland Darwaza | Sultan Mahmud Khalji of Malwa | The tall gate in the inner complex |
| Akbari Masjid | Attributed to Akbar | Red sandstone mosque |
| Big deg | Akbar, 1568 | Still used to cook for the langar |
| Small deg | Jahangir, 1614 | Smaller cauldron, also in use |
| Jama Masjid (white marble) | Shah Jahan, 1637 | Elegant marble mosque in the complex |
| Begumi Dalaan | Jahanara Begum | Porch beside the tomb |
| Nizam Gate | Mir Osman Ali Khan, Nizam of Hyderabad, 1911 | Main entrance from Dargah Bazaar |
Today the shrine is administered by the Dargah Committee, a statutory body set up under the Dargah Khwaja Saheb Act, 1955. The khadims, hereditary custodians, carry out the rituals at the tomb and help pilgrims offer chadars and prayers.
You may also see searches about a “Shiva temple” at the dargah. This refers to a petition filed in an Ajmer civil court in 2024 claiming an earlier temple on the site; the Dargah Committee rejects the claim. The matter is a legal one, and it doesn’t affect visitors’ access.
Ajmer Sharif Dargah Timings and Daily Rituals
| Ritual | Approx. timing | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Gates open | 4 AM (summer) / 5 AM (winter) | Nizam Gate opens to pilgrims |
| Khidmat (morning) | About an hour before Fajr prayer | Khadims clean the tomb and lay fresh flowers and chadar |
| Khidmat (afternoon) | About an hour after Zohr prayer | Sandal, attar and rose water offered on the tomb |
| Roshni | About 20 minutes before Maghrib (sunset) | Lamps lit to the sound of drums; a moving moment to witness |
| Qawwali | Mostly evenings, especially Thursday nights | Qawwals sing in the courtyard |
| Karka | About 1.5 hours after Isha (night) prayer | Tomb is cleared and locked |
| Gates close | 9 PM (winter) / 10 PM (summer) |
Ritual times move with prayer times through the year, and change again during the Urs and Ramzan. Early morning is calmest; sunset gives you Roshni and the start of qawwali; Thursday evenings and Fridays are the busiest and most atmospheric.
Rules and Visitor Etiquette
Ajmer Sharif is a living place of prayer, not a monument.
- Cover your head, men and women both. Scarves and caps are sold in Dargah Bazaar.
- Dress modestly, shoulders and legs covered, in loose clothes suited to a crowd.
- Remove footwear at the shoe counters near the gate and keep your token.
- Travel light. Expect a security check; large bags are a nuisance. Carry small cash for roses, a chadar and donations, and keep valuables zipped away.
- Move with the flow on the narrow path to the tomb, and don’t stop in the doorway.
- Photography: follow staff instructions; it’s generally not appropriate near the tomb.
- During ceremonies, parts of the tomb close for a while, and women are not permitted inside the tomb chamber during Khidmat and Roshni.
- Offerings are voluntary. Khadims and others will offer help; accept or decline politely. The Dargah Committee has its own donation counters.
- Don’t walk in front of people praying.
Can Non-Muslims Visit Ajmer Sharif Dargah?
Yes. Ajmer Sharif welcomes people of all faiths, and many Hindu, Sikh and Christian families come for a mannat. Follow the same etiquette as everyone else.
A simple route: enter through Nizam Gate, buy roses or a chadar in the lane, see the two degs in the courtyard, pay respects at the tomb, then visit Shah Jahan’s marble Jama Masjid and stay for evening qawwali. Afterwards, walk to Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra, the old mosque just beyond the dargah, or see Ana Sagar Lake.
Urs at Ajmer Sharif: Dates and What to Expect
The Urs marks the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, seen as his union with the divine. It’s held for six days, 1 to 6 Rajab, the seventh month of the Islamic lunar calendar, with flag-hoisting at the start and the Qul ceremony on the sixth day (Chhati Sharif).
Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, Rajab moves about 11 days earlier each year:
- 815th Urs: expected around mid-December 2026 (Rajab 1448).
- Urs 2027 (816th): expected around late November to early December 2027 (Rajab 1449).
Exact dates depend on the moon sighting, so confirm with the Dargah Committee or local news before you book. Lakhs of pilgrims arrive, special trains run, roads near the dargah close to cars, and qawwali goes on through the night. Book rooms well ahead.
How to Reach Ajmer Sharif Dargah
- By train: Ajmer Junction is about 2 km from the dargah, linked to Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
- By road: Ajmer is roughly 135 km from Jaipur, about 2.5 to 3 hours by highway. It’s also a natural stop between Jaipur and Udaipur; see our Delhi to Udaipur distance and route guide.
- By air: Kishangarh Airport is the closest, with Jaipur the main option for more flights.
Cars can’t reach the shrine itself. Drivers drop you near Dargah Bazaar, and you walk the last few hundred metres through the lanes. Our Rajasthan taxi service can arrange a car with a driver who knows the drop-off points.
Hotels Near Ajmer Sharif Dargah
Budget guesthouses crowd the lanes around Dargah Bazaar: handy for early visits, but noisy and basic. Mid-range hotels sit further out near the station, Ana Sagar and the highway, and many travellers stay in Pushkar instead. Book early for Thursdays, Fridays, Ramzan and the Urs.
Ajmer Sharif and Pushkar in One Day
Pushkar is only about 15 km from Ajmer, over Nag Pahar hill. From Jaipur, leave early and visit the dargah in the morning, spend the afternoon at Pushkar’s lake, ghats and Brahma Temple, then drive back or stay the night. Our Pushkar travel guide covers the ghats, temples and markets. If you’re touring the state, Ajmer and Pushkar also fit into our 7-day Rajasthan road trip from Delhi.
Best season: October to March. In summer, visit early morning or late evening. See our best time to visit Rajasthan guide.
Plan Your Ajmer Sharif Trip
We drive guests from Jaipur to Ajmer Sharif and Pushkar regularly, as a day trip or part of a longer tour, timing the day around Roshni or evening qawwali. For the rest of your stay in the Pink City, see our places to visit in Jaipur.
Call or WhatsApp Jaipur: +91-9983889373 · Udaipur: +91-8619315547.
Planning more of Rajasthan? Browse all our guides on the Rajasthan Travel Blog.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where is Ajmer Sharif Dargah?
It’s in the old city of Ajmer, Rajasthan, at the foot of Taragarh hill, about 2 km from Ajmer Junction station. The main entrance, Nizam Gate, opens onto Dargah Bazaar. Ajmer is roughly 135 km from Jaipur and 15 km from Pushkar.
2. What is the opening and closing time of Ajmer Sharif Dargah?
The gates usually open around 5 AM and close around 9 PM in winter, and open around 4 AM and close around 10 PM in summer. Ritual times follow prayer times and change during Ramzan and the Urs, so check locally on the day.
3. Can Hindus visit Ajmer Sharif Dargah?
Yes. The dargah welcomes people of every religion, and many Hindu, Sikh and Christian families visit to make or fulfil a mannat. Cover your head, remove footwear and follow the same etiquette as other pilgrims.
4. What should I wear to Ajmer Sharif Dargah?
Modest, loose clothing covering shoulders and legs, plus a scarf, dupatta or cap for your head (sold in Dargah Bazaar). Slip-on footwear helps, since you’ll leave it at a shoe counter.
5. When is the best time to hear qawwali at Ajmer Sharif?
Qawwali is mostly sung in the evenings in the courtyard, after the Roshni ceremony around sunset. Thursday nights are the most popular and crowded. During the Urs, qawwali sessions run late into the night in the Mehfil Khana and around the shrine.
6. When is the Ajmer Urs in 2027?
The Urs is held from 1 to 6 Rajab in the Islamic calendar. In 2027, Rajab is expected to begin around late November or early December, so the Urs should fall in that window. Dates depend on the moon sighting, so confirm closer to the time.
7. Who manages Ajmer Sharif Dargah?
The Dargah Committee, set up under the Dargah Khwaja Saheb Act, 1955 and linked to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, manages the shrine. Hereditary custodians called khadims perform the rituals at the tomb and help pilgrims with offerings.
8. What are the big degs at Ajmer Sharif?
They are two huge cooking cauldrons in the courtyard. The larger was donated by Akbar in 1568 and the smaller by Jahangir in 1614. Devotees sponsor food cooked in them, and it’s distributed as langar to pilgrims and the poor.
9. Can I visit Ajmer Sharif and Pushkar in one day from Jaipur?
Yes. Ajmer is about 135 km from Jaipur and Pushkar is just 15 km further. Start early, visit the dargah in the morning, spend the afternoon in Pushkar and drive back in the evening. An overnight in Pushkar makes the day more relaxed.
10. Is Ajmer Sharif Dargah Shia or Sunni?
Ajmer Sharif is a Sunni Sufi shrine of the Chishti order, which Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti brought to the subcontinent. In practice it’s open to everyone, and devotees of many traditions and faiths pray here side by side.