Jahane Rumi In search of the unsearchable: O, my soul! where would you find your house?

Urs celebrations at Ajmer

AJMER: The 797th Urs of the 12th century Sufi saint, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, commenced on Friday with the flag-hosting ceremony at the Buland Darwaza.

About 200 people from the Gori family of Bhilwara, headed by Fakrudin Gori, came to Ajmer. As per age-old traditions, the family is authorized to hoist the Urs flag.

The dargah road was packed with devotees who participated in the Asar ki namaz. The police had to make extra effort to manage the crowd. It had to prohibit vehicles from entering the dargah area to control the devotees, who were rushing to touch the flag and seek the blessings of the Khwaja.

The district administration tightened security in the area. Police in plain clothes were deployed in the dargah premises. They were also posted on the dargah roof with binoculars.

The procession started from the guest-house and went through Langerkhana, Mustafa Bazaar, Nizam Gate and finally reached the Buland Darwaza, where the Urs flag was hoisted.

As the festival officially began, the devotees, who have come from various parts of the country, wished each other Urs Mubarak' and celebrated the occasion. They shopped at the dargah bazaar, which has been decorated extensively for the festival. Meanwhile, Shahi Kawal Asrar Hussien offered qawwalis in the name of the Khwaja.

"The devotees will keep coming till the seventh day of the Urs," said a khadim. The district-collector, Rajesh Yadav, ordered the Urban Improvement Trust and the municipal corporation to make proper arrangements at vishram sthalis, where devotees would stay in large numbers.