Syed Sarwar Chishti, Secretary of the Dargah’s Anjuman Committee, dismissed concerns about the controversy’s impact, stating that pilgrim numbers had only increased. “This year, we have witnessed a larger turnout than before,” he said.Traditionally, the crowds begin to thin after the Chhathi ritual, but this year, even after the Bade Kul ceremony, hotels remained fully booked, and pilgrims continued to arrive. The last time such a large crowd was witnessed was during the 786th Urs.The Urs celebrations were held under the shadow of a legal dispute. On September 25, 2024, Advocate Vishnu Gupta, President of the Hindu Sena, filed a petition claiming that the site of the dargah was originally a Sankatmochan Mahadev temple. The petition cited a 114-year-old book, Ajmer Historical and Descriptive, by retired judge Harbilas Sarda. An entire chapter of the book asserts that a Lord Shiva temple once stood at the dargah’s location.
Source link
