Day 12, Ajmer: Adhai Dinka Jhonpra, Ana Sagar Lake, Dargah Sharif

We did a little bit of sightseeing today. There really wasn't a lot to see, but the places we did go to were worth visiting. Our first stop was Adhai Dinka Jhonpra, an ancient mosque that was originally a Hindu temple. Dating back to around 1150, the architecture and splendor of the ruins are quite a sight, even if it is slightly dampened by the graffiti/vandalism that also exists. We walked through the busy, busy alleys of the marketplace to get here, but it is only a short walk from the main dargah entrance.

Heading to the site

Adhai Din ka Jhonpra

Still a functioning mosque

Details

I felt like I was inside of village...

Afterwards, we hailed down an autorickshaw and headed to Ana Sagar lake, which felt like a breath of fresh air! The dargah is surrounded by a crowded, dusty and bustling marketplace, and there are people and noise everyone; the lake provided a significant contrast, as I took in the greenery and tranquility. It's a nice getaway spot for anyone in Ajmer.

Green = sanctuary

My soul feels rejuvenated

I enjoyed this moment

Music Man

I loved the random yet impressive bits of architecture scattered throughout

We did a little bit of shopping (because you HAVE to shop with all these markets!) and I bought some gifts for family and friends back home. After a brief respite in the guesthouse, we made another trip to the dargah to pay our respects to the saint, to pray, and to listen to qawwali.

Walking back from Ana Sagar Lake

Inside the dargah, vendors sell flowers and sweets as offerings

A peek inside

AMAZING qawwali music!

Right outside of the tomb

Day 11, Ajmer: Dargah Sharif

Once again we headed back to the Ajmer Shatabdi, this time to head to the city of Ajmer for a pilgrimage. The dargah of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chisti, aka "Gharib Nawaz" (Benefactor of the Poor), is there and it is a site where Hindus and Christians visit in addition to Muslims.

Posing with a cooli (a rail porter)

The Rajasthani desert on the way to Ajmer

Heading to the guesthouse

My aunt regularly donates to the dargah, and a couple of the dargah caretakers arranged transportation and a room for us in their guesthouse. It was all nice until we finally met the father/son duo in an office in the dargah. The first question they had for us was concerning how much we were going to donate. My mother and I were so put off by this question! We were of course going to donate, but we naively assumed that there would be time for that later, after paying our respects to the saint. After offering $50 or so (for the time being), the father told us that it wasn't enough! Honestly, it's so sad to see what a business religion has become in the world today. Anyway, we did get a good tour of the place and donated here and there throughout the day. The dargah complex is massive!

Buland Darwaza

Cameras are not allowed inside... so I whipped out my phone instead

Getting ready for prayer

The "choti deg," (small pot) used to cook meals to feed the poor

A peek inside the "bara deg," (big pot) where donations in cash and food are thrown in

Getting ready for evening prayer

The shrine lit up at night