PM Modi to Continue Annual Tradition with ‘Chadar’ Offering at Ajmer Sharif Dargah

 Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Shiva temple claim, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to continue his annual tradition by sending a ceremonial ‘chadar’ to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah on Thursday. The ‘chadar’ will be handed over to Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju and BJP Minority Morcha President Jamal Siddiqui at 6 p.m., who will then present it at the shrine during the Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

Since becoming Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has participated in this tradition 10 times, and this year will mark his 11th offering. Last year, during the 812th Urs, the ‘chadar’ was presented on his behalf by then Union Minister Smriti Irani, along with Jamal Siddiqui and a delegation representing the Muslim community.

The gesture comes amid heightened attention to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, following a petition filed by the Hindu Sena, which claims that the revered dargah in Rajasthan is, in fact, a Shiva temple. This legal claim has sparked significant debate and was further fueled by a court ruling last November, which ordered a notice to be issued to three parties in a civil suit alleging that a Shiva temple exists within the dargah of Moinuddin Chishti.

In response, the Ajmer Sharif Dargah Committee filed a five-page application on December 20, urging the dismissal of the petition. The next hearing is set for January 24, 2025.

The offering of the ‘chadar’ during the Urs festival is considered an important and revered act of worship, believed to bring blessings and fulfill vows. The Ajmer Sharif Dargah, one of the most significant Sufi shrines in India, attracts millions of devotees annually for the Urs festival, which commemorates the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishty. The 813th Urs of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti commenced on December 28, 2024, with devotees from across India and abroad gathering to pay their respects and seek blessings.