Six-day Sufi festival culminates in qawwali nights and mehfil, drawing 5 million pilgrims amid enhanced security.
The Urs festival honoring Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, revered as Garib Nawaz, reached its spiritual climax on December 27, 2025, at Ajmer Sharif Dargah in Rajasthan. The event, marking the 13th-century Sufi saint's death anniversary per the lunar Hijri calendar, attracted over 5 million visitors since December 22, blending devotion with cultural revelry.
Final rituals included flag-hoisting at dawn and all-night qawwalis by artists like Sabri Brothers, echoing Chishti's message of unity. Langar fed 200,000 daily, with global donors contributing Rs 50 crore for expansions. Security, with 3,000 personnel, managed crowds via AI-monitored entry.
Chishti's legacy—founding India's Chishti order—promotes tolerance, influencing 20% of South Asia's Sufi followers. The Urs boosts local economy by Rs 300 crore through tourism.
This year's theme, "Harmony in Diversity," featured interfaith seminars, underscoring relevance in modern India.
