THE KHWAJA OF AJMER AND THE MUGHAL EMPERORS.

Got back today, 03.12. 2008, after visiting the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin
Hasan Chishti Ajmeri Sanjari (R.A.) (1141-1230 Christian Era). When I had landed
at Ajmer Shareef on Friday, 28th November 2008, the road traffics were out of gear
since there was a heavy police bandobast (surveillance) in the wake of Mulayam
Singh - the Samajwadi leader's visit to the shrine of the Sufi Saint.

Now, as all of us know, there are so many biographies and books available
regarding the teachings, the life and times of this great Saint (Awliya-Allah) who
is also known as the Ghareeb Nawaaz or the Patron of the Poor. Hence, these are
not being mentioned here. As for Ajmer, besides its ancient history, it has been
the place of royal retreat of the Mughals and has served as an army base for the
Mughal Emperors. Ajmer was conquered by Emperor Akbar in 1559 c.e. He began
paying homage at the shrine since 1562 after hearing a minstrel sing the praises
of the Saint.

However, what is relatively less known is what I got to read from secular sources
many years ago. These concerns many of the Saint's marvels or 'Karaamaat' even
after passing away from the worldly life, in relation to the military successes of
Emperor Akbar (reign 1556-1605).

For example, it is mentioned that the Mughal Emperor Akbar who was a regular
visitor to the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (R.A.) could conquer the
forces of Mirzas and annex Broach (Bharuch) Baroda (Vadodra)and Surat with a small
band of just 200 men after crossing the Mahi river - thanks to the blessings of
the Saint. According to a folklore in Surat, after conquering Gujarat Akbar was
on his way back when the Mirzas instigated a rebellion against him. But with just
3,000 men, Akbar was able to subdue an army ten times stronger than his. It is
said that the rebels were disoriented and also mentally affected when they
encountered the presence of spirits in Akbar's army. Akbar was able to wrest
Ahmedabad (Amdawad)without a battle since he had previously paid his homage at the
shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (R.A.)who, according to the legends, has
hundreds of spirits under his control.

After subduing the rebel Mirzas in Gujarat, Akbar reached Ajmer in March 1576. In
April, the same year, Akbar sent an army of 5,000 men under Raja Man Singh of
Ambar (Jaipur) to subdue Rana Pratap (1540-1597) the ruler of Mewar, who had been
resisting the Mughal forces ever since he had lost the Chittor Fort to them. The
conquest of the Fort of Chittor by the emperor itself offers an interesting story.
In 1568, during his annual visit to the Dargah, Akbar took a vow that if he were
able to conquer the Fort he would visit the Dargah on foot. True enough, his
wishes were granted, and according to his vow, Akbar began the journey from
Chittor to the Dargah on foot, trudging the hot sands in stages. He thus reached
the Dargah where he paid homage to the Saint and offered alms to the poor. That
was the beginning of his annual visits to the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin
Chishti (R.A.).

Coming back to the expedition of 1576 by Raja Man Singh, Akbar himself remained in
the Camp at Ajmer at that time. Rana Pratap blocked and destroyed the food and
water supply line from Ajmer to Chittor. It is said that having planned to kill
Akbar in his own tent, he along with his followers reached Akbar's camp at night
when he found Akbar fast asleep. But to his surprise, he found the camp being
guarded by some transparent and shadowy figures. Rana Pratap gave obeisance to
them and went back to his own place. A battle was fought at Haldighati, which
lasted just four hours. During the battle, Rana Pratap was advised by his
generals to flee the battle-field which he did while riding his famous horse,
Chetak. It is interesting to note that in this battle, Akbar's army was led by
Raja Man Singh - a Hindu Rajput, and Rana Pratap's army was led in the front by
Hakim Khan Sur Pathan - a Muslim general who actually laid down his life
defending the lost battle of Haldighati. His annual 'urs' is held in Haldighati
by the Rajputs. That the victory at Haldighati was due to the blessings of the
'Peer' is also borne out by history books and as such when the famous elephant
"Ramprasad" which had been captured in that battle was presented to Akbar, he was
overjoyed and re-christened it as "Peerprasad" or "Gift of the Saint". It is
also mentioned in history books that Emperor Akbar used to visit the shrine at
Ajmer on every 'Urs' and seek the blessings of the Saint.

Historians have written that after December 1584, Akbar "had no time to spare for
Mewar". However, the popularly held belief is that Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin
Chishti (R.A.) had told the Emperor in a dream that he should not involve himself
with the Rana or otherwise there were chances of his losing the Punjab province.

Emperor Akbar lived for 12 long years in Lahore from 1585 onwards for his Punjab
campaigns. After returning from Lahore in 1597, Akbar again wanted to lead a
battle against Rana Pratap when he saw the same dream again wherein the Saint told
him that it was of no use. Rana Pratap died at Chavand in early 1597 under
puzzling circumstances at the age of 57 as a result of injuries sustained by him
while tying the bow-string. Thus ended the saga of Rana Pratap.

Akbar had ordered for the construction of a huge cauldron for preparation of sweet
food for offerings on the occasion of his victory of Chittorgarh. The cauldron is
still located near the shrine along with a larger one, which was built later by
Akbar's third son, Emperor Jahangir, when he presented himself at the Dargah in
the eight year of his reign in 1613. Jehangir, too, moved his court from Agra to
Ajmer for three years from 1613 to 1616 and took advantage of being close to the
Shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (R.A.)while supervising the Mewar
campaign of his son, Khurram (later emperor Shah Jahan). In fact, Jehangir was
responsible for putting an end to the long, protracted Mewar struggle. According
to the New Cambridge History of India, the successful subjugation of Mewar may
have been one of Jehangir's vow at the shrine. The emperor admitted that he and
his family had derived great blessings from the illustrious soul of the Saint of
Ajmer and, as such, made generous offerings at the shrine. He also lavished
gifts and Jagirs to all the 'Gaddi Nashins' of the Darbar. The Jehangir Nama
enlists the details of his major donations and contributons at the Dargah. As a
token of gratitude to the Sufi Saint, he even donned pearl earrings having
recovered from a dangerous illness. The donning of earrings became a fashion at
the emperor's court.

The Mughal emperors had in fact carried out many constructions in Ajmer, as
elsewhere in Hindustan, such as mosques, pavillions, buildings and well laid out
gardens. Akbar built a palace which now houses a museum. Shah Jahan built marble
pavilions around the Ana Sagar Lake in addition to a well laid out garden near it.
As regards the shrine, its construction was begun by Iltutmash (reign 1211-1236
c.e.) the saintly Sultan of Delhi. He was a great follower and contemporary of
the Sufi Saint. Akbar's father, Humuyun (1508-1556) had the dome of the shrine
constructed. Akbar built a mosque adjacent to the shrine while his grandson,
Shahjahan (1592-1666)also built the Shahjahani Masjid in the Dargah precincts in
gratitude to the Sufi Saint by whose blessings he had defeated the Rana of Mewar
for the second time. After his Deccan success (1637), Shah Jahan presented
himself again at the shrine and gifted the silver fencing which is still found
around the saint's tomb. A daughter of Shah Jahan, Chimni Begum, got a women'
prayer room built near the Dargah. It is known that the later Mughal emperors
such as the puritan Aurangzeb (1618-1707) too used to visit the shrine of the Sufi
Saint for blessings and thanksgiving.
The shrine of the patron Saint of the Poor attracts the poor and the rich alike.
The list can be endless as ever since emperors, kings, heads of states,
dignitaries, and men of importance along with millions of commoners as well as
high-ranking saints and faqirs have continued to pay their homage and derive
benefits and blessings at the shrine of the Sultan-e-Hind. The Hindus and the
Muslims as well as those from other castes and creeds rub shoulder to shoulder in
their efforts to seek the blessings of the Sufi Saint and spread love and sunshine
in their own lives as well as carry on the Sufi Saint's message of peace and
goodwill, love and charity, to one and all. Feeding the hungry, helping the
distressed, and redressing the wronged are some of the other messages of the Sufi
Saint, which the visitors to the shrine emulate.

In today's violent world, the relevance of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (R.A.),
who combined service to God with service to mankind, is all the more significant.

NASIR.