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Few journeys in North India carry the pull of Ajmer. For close to eight centuries, people of every faith have travelled to this small Rajasthan city to bow their heads at the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti — the saint the world knows as Garib Nawaz, the benefactor of the poor. From Delhi, Faridabad or Noida the Dargah is an easy day’s drive away, and the road unspools through Gurugram and Jaipur before the Aravallis part to reveal the city. This guide walks through who the saint was, how the shrine came to be, what a visit actually feels like, and how to make the trip in comfort from anywhere in the NCR.
Who was Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
He was born around 1141 CE in Sistan, a windswept region on the frontier of present-day Iran and Afghanistan. Orphaned young — his father is said to have passed when the boy was in his teens — he gave away what little he had inherited and set out in search of meaning. That search led him to Khwaja Usman Harooni, a Sufi master under whom he trained for some twenty years, travelling, serving and learning the disciplines of the Chishti path. Only after receiving khilafat, the authority to guide others, did he journey on to Mecca and Medina for the Hajj.
His arrival in India followed the turbulence of the age. After the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192, when the region opened up, the Khwaja made his way to Ajmer and settled there. He founded a khanqah — a spiritual lodge — and from it lived a message far simpler than the politics around him: feed the hungry, comfort the grieving, and treat every person, whatever their creed or caste, as worthy of dignity. This idea, later echoed in the phrase Sulh-i-Kul or “peace with all”, drew followers from Hindu and Muslim families alike, and it is why the title Garib Nawaz still fits so naturally. He is believed to have passed away in 1236 CE, and was laid to rest in the very cell where he had spent his last days in prayer. The shrine grew around that grave.
The shrine and its Mughal history
What began as a humble grave became, over the centuries, one of the subcontinent’s grandest complexes — built up gate by gate, dome by dome, by the rulers who came to seek the saint’s blessing. The domed marble tomb seen today was first raised under the Delhi Sultanate, commissioned around 1332 by Muhammad bin Tughlaq. It was the Mughals, though, who gave Ajmer Sharif much of its present face.
Emperor Akbar held the shrine in extraordinary regard; he is said to have walked here on foot from Agra more than once in fulfilment of vows. He built the towering Buland Darwaza gateway and gifted the great cauldron, the Bade Deg — a vessel so large it can cook for thousands, its rim ingeniously kept cool even as food simmers within. Jahangir later added a second, smaller Deg. Shah Jahan contributed the elegant Nizam (Shahjahani) Gate and a mosque of white marble, the Jami Masjid, within the courtyard. Each ruler’s addition still stands, so that a walk through the Dargah is, in effect, a walk through five hundred years of history.
The Dargah Sharif
The marble shrine over the saint’s grave, reached through the Nizam Gate and Buland Darwaza. Open early morning to late evening; busiest after evening prayers.
The qawwali courtyard
As dusk falls, qawwals sing sufiana kalam in praise of the saint — the sound for which Ajmer is loved as much as the shrine itself.
Ana Sagar Lake
A 12th-century artificial lake ringed by marble pavilions built by Shah Jahan — a calm, breezy place to unwind after the shrine.
Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra
A striking early mosque, famous for its carved pillars and the legend that it was raised in just two and a half days.
The Urs — when Ajmer fills with a million
Once a year the city swells beyond recognition for the Urs, the observance of the saint’s union with the Divine, held in Rajab, the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. Far from a day of mourning, the Urs is a celebration — roughly six days of continuous devotion that draw pilgrims from across India and abroad. The rituals are moving to witness: the ghusal, in which the tomb is bathed with sandalwood paste and rose water; the Chadar Poshi, where embroidered cloths are offered over the grave; the langar, in which food is cooked in the great Degs and shared freely; and night-long qawwali that carries the courtyard until dawn. If you visit during the Urs, come with patience and flexible timings — the crowds are immense, but so is the atmosphere.
Getting to Ajmer from Delhi, Faridabad & Noida
Ajmer sits roughly 390 km from Delhi, and the drive — south-west on NH-48 through Gurugram, past Jaipur, then on to Ajmer — takes about seven hours with a break. The distances from the wider NCR barely change the plan: Faridabad, being already south of the capital, is a touch closer, while Noida adds an hour of city driving to reach the highway. All three are very doable in a single day by car.
- From Delhi — ~390 km, ~7 hrs via NH-48 (Gurugram → Jaipur → Ajmer).
- From Faridabad — ~380 km, ~7 hrs; join NH-48 via the Gurugram/KMP link.
- From Noida / Greater Noida — ~415 km, ~7.5 hrs; clear the city early, then it is a straight highway run.
Trains are the other popular option: fast services such as the Ajmer Shatabdi, the Rajdhani and the Duronto connect New Delhi to Ajmer Junction in around six to seven hours. A cab, however, keeps the whole trip on your own clock — door-to-door from your colony, a pickup wherever you are in the NCR, and the freedom to fold in Pushkar without a second thought.
Before you enter: etiquette & what to carry
The Dargah is a living place of worship, and a little preparation makes the visit smoother and more respectful.
- Dress modestly. Shoulders and legs should be covered; women should carry a scarf or dupatta to cover the head inside the shrine.
- Shoes come off. Footwear is left at stalls outside — wear something easy to slip off, and comfortable to walk barefoot in.
- Leave leather behind. Belts, wallets and bags of leather are best not carried into the shrine; large backpacks slow the security check.
- Offerings. A chadar, flowers and rose petals can be bought from authorised shops by the shrine; the khadims (traditional caretakers) can guide the offering.
- Mind your valuables. The lanes are crowded and heartfelt — keep cash and phones close, and children closer.
- Best hours. Early morning is the calmest and most serene; evenings bring the qawwali but also the biggest crowds.
Pair it with Pushkar — and more
Ajmer rewards a little extra time, and the natural companion is Pushkar, barely 15 km over the hill. Its holy lake, its ghats, and the famous Brahma Temple — one of very few in the world dedicated to the creator — make an easy same-day continuation. Closer to Ajmer, the hilltop Taragarh Fort offers sweeping views, while Ana Sagar Lake and Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra sit within minutes of the Dargah. With a car and driver waiting, all of it slots into a single unhurried day or a relaxed overnight.
Best time to visit
October to March is the kindest window, with cool, clear Rajasthan days made for walking the shrine and the lakes. Summers are hot and best handled with dawn and dusk visits. The Urs, falling by the Islamic calendar, is the most charged time to come — spiritually unforgettable, but crowded enough to need planning. Whichever week you choose, a Friday carries special significance at the Dargah and draws larger gatherings.
Delhi & NCR to Ajmer taxi fare (2026)
Fares below are all-inclusive — toll, state tax, fuel and driver allowance are already built in, with no weekend surge. One-way is charged for one way only; a round trip works out cheaper per day. Pickups from Faridabad and Noida are available at similar rates — enter your own location in the fare box above for a live quote.
| Car | Seats | One-way from | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan (Dzire, Etios) | 4 | ₹5,950 | ₹10,800 |
| SUV (Ertiga, XUV) | 6–7 | ₹6,850 | ₹12,300 |
| Premium SUV (Innova Crysta) | 7 | ₹8,300 | ₹14,950 |
| Tempo Traveller | 12–17 | ₹12,250 | ₹22,050 |
See live fares and book on the Delhi to Ajmer taxi page, or plan the wider Jaipur tour on the way.
Frequently asked questions
About 390 km via NH-48 through Gurugram and Jaipur, roughly seven hours with a break. Faridabad is a little shorter, Noida a little longer.
An all-inclusive one-way sedan starts at about ₹5,950 from Delhi, with Faridabad and Noida at similar rates. Toll, state tax, fuel and driver allowance are included; enter your pickup in the fare box for a live quote.
Modest clothing with shoulders and legs covered, and a scarf for women to cover the head. Shoes are removed outside and leather items left behind. Chadar and flowers are sold at authorised shops nearby.
Easily. Pushkar and its Brahma Temple are about 15 km from Ajmer, so most visitors do the Dargah first and continue to Pushkar the same day with the same car.
The Urs falls in Rajab on the Islamic calendar and is spiritually the most powerful time to come — but the crowds are vast. If you want a calmer ziyarat, choose a regular weekday between October and March.
Written by the EZPZ Travel Desk with respect for all who make this journey. Timings, rituals and road conditions can change — please reconfirm before you travel.