The mausoleum dedicated to the Sufi Saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is a symbol of communal harmony attracting millions of devotees, irrespective of their caste, creed and religion
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – Emboldened by the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the pooja permission in Varanasi’s Gyanvapi Masjid, a right-wing organisation has claimed that the Ajmer dargah in Rajasthan is a Hindu temple.
Maharana Pratap Sena has scheduled a march for February 9 to assert the aforementioned claim, raising concerns about potential communal tensions in the region.
The mausoleum dedicated to the Sufi Saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is a symbol of communal harmony attracting millions of devotees, irrespective of their caste, creed and religion.
The Ajmer dargah dates back to the 13th century. It was renovated multiple times over the years for restoration and incorporation of modern facilities.
Surprisingly, some Hindu organisations have recently started laying claims on the dargah claiming it to be a temple.
Chief of Maharana Pratap Sena, Rajvardhan Singh Parmar, reportedly claimed Hindu symbols were present on the walls and windows of the dargah. In a letter to Rajasthan Chief Minister, Bhajan Lal Sharma, the outfit has demanded a survey of the premises by the Archaeological Survey of India.
This comes after the Varanasi court order permitted the survey and eventually allowed prayers to be held in the basement of the Gyanvapi mosque.
The letter requested the CM to “issue necessary directives and conduct an investigation into the dargah in Ajmer, similar to the investigations carried out in Ayodhya, Babri Mosque and Varanasi.”
In a video that has gone viral, Parmar claims that his organisation had earlier brought this to the notice of the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state. However, he says no action was taken.
In response to such claims made previously, Moin Chishti, president of Anjuman Saiyad Zadgan, the body of Khadims, had said the claim is baseless as there are no such symbols in the dargah adding that millions of Hindus and Muslims visit the place every year.
Maharana Pratap Sena has put forth a claim that there is evidence suggesting that the site in question was initially a Hindu temple dedicated to a revered deity. They argue that it underwent a conversion into a Muslim shrine during a certain historical period, citing support from historical texts and archaeological findings. Nonetheless, the mainstream historical consensus contradicts their assertions.
The dargah committee has rejected all claims, asserting that the dargah has been a symbol of unity and spirituality for centuries.
Amin Pathan, chairman of the committee, further clarified saying the claims made by the Maharana Pratap Sena aren’t true as there are no artwork or insignia inside the dargah.
“The dargah is a holy place which has the faith of people from all religions. It is unfortunate that such misleading things are being said to malign the image, which looks like a conspiracy. I also demand the government to take strict action against those who are spreading these lies,” Pathan reportedly said.
The recent assertion is viewed as a challenge to the established historical and cultural narrative surrounding the dargah.
The Ajmer dargah’s custodians and representatives argue that attempts to alter the narrative surrounding the shrine are misguided and could have far-reaching consequences for the nation’s social fabric.
Similar instances in the past have proved that the outcome of this situation will undoubtedly have implications for the ongoing discourse surrounding India’s rich cultural and religious heritage.
There is a growing concern that these claims and public demonstrations may escalate tensions and foster communal discord in the region.