Haji Syed Salman Chishty, director of Ajmer’s Chishty Foundation shows the chadar sent by US President Barack Obama, which will be offered at the mausoleum of Moinuddin Chishti tomorrow.
IANS/Mumbai
The 803rd Urs (annual feast) celebrations of the revered saint Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisty of Ajmer, starting tomorrow, will be a momentous affair this year - thanks to US President Barack Obama.
A red coloured, richly embroidered ‘chadar’ (holy cloth) will be offered on Obama’s behalf at the mausoleum of the Garib Nawaz on the inaugural day of the week-long urs, Haji Syed Salman Chishty, director of Ajmer’s Chishty Foundation, said in Mumbai.
The ‘chadar’ was solemnly handed over to Haji Chishty “on behalf of the US government and Obama by US ambassador Richard Verma, deputy chief of mission Micheal Pelletier and other officials on Friday morning, with a request to present it at the Ajmer Dargah Sharif.
“It’s a historic day and a welcome moment. It’s the first gesture of extending spiritual greetings of peace to the Ajmer Dargah Sharif from a non-South Asian country’s head of state,” Haji Chishty, the 27th descendant of the saint, said while on a visit here.
He explained that such ‘chadars’ and offerings from presidents or prime ministers and other top leaders of several South Asian countries, are received with much respect and grace.
“This is the first time that a non-South Asian country’s head has sent a ‘chadar’ to the Ajmer Dargah Sharif. It will set a new trend for global peace among communities,” Haji Chishty said, adding the ‘chadar’ from the US president will be offered at the mausoleum at 11am tomorrow.
The 32-year old Haji Chishty, who is engaged in practical research on Sufi traditions and their impact on different cultures and traditions, has lectured around the world on the topic and recently went on a journey of exploration of Iran which he has preserved in the form of a photo-feature exhibited in Mumbai last month.
Haji Chishty arrived from the US where he attended an international Sufi conference and spoke at the United Nations as well as visited Washington and Harvard University in Boston, earlier this month.
“The underlying message is to promote spiritualism through harmony, peace and love for all, which was represented by the 11th century saint, Sultan-ul-Hind, Gharib Nawaz Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty of Ajmer Sharif,” Haji Chishty said.
The annual urs were launched on Wednesday with the flag hoisting on the Ajmer Dargah Sharif after evening prayers, with the entire Dargah complex decorated and glittering in colourful lights.
Tomorrow, which coincides with the first day of Rajab, the seventh month of the Islamic calendar, the urs officially starts with the ‘mehfil-e-sama’ in the Dargah Sharif.
There are various events lined up during the period with April 25 the main day of the urs and April 28 the concluding day, when the entire Dargah Sharif will be washed by devotees.
