(MENAFN- IANS) Ajmer, Sep 18 (IANS) On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 74th birthday, a special langar was organised at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah.
As part of the Seva Pakhwada (Service Fortnight), 4,000 kg of 'Zarda' (sweet rice) was prepared along with a special prayer held for PM Modi on his birthday at the famous Muslim shrine on Tuesday evening.
Preparations for the langar, including decorations around the 'Big Shahi Degh', began early Tuesday morning.
For the first time, such a big event was organised at the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti on the birthday of any Prime Minister.
On the birthday of PM Modi, Gaddi Nasheen of Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Syed Afshan Chishti, said, "The Ajmer Sharif Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti is one of the largest places of worship in the whole Indian subcontinent where people of different faiths like Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Parsi, etc visit. India is like a 'guldasta' and the head of the state leading the country is our beloved Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Indian Minority Foundation and the Chisty Foundation Ajmer Sharif organised a langar on the occasion of PM Modi's birthday which is being celebrated as 'Seva Pakhwada' across the country.
"The Prime Minister has earlier also offered a sacred 'chaddar' in the past and has a deep faith in Khwaja Garib Nawaz's dargah. PM Modi had earlier met the Dargah's organising members through video conferencing and as a member of the Dargah, we pray for the good health and long life of the Prime Minister. We also wish that India emerges as a strong nation where communal harmony, brotherhood and peace always prevail. We wish that India emerges as a Vishwaguru soon and plays the role of a messenger of peace for humanity especially when the world is currently undergoing a war crisis," he added.
Haji Syed Salman Chishty, Chairman of the Chishty Foundation, in a special conversation with IANS, said, "For the last 550 years, a 'Big Shahi Degh' of 4,000 kg has been kept in the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, in which vegetarian langar is prepared. This langar is being prepared in 'Degh' on PM Modi's 74th birthday. While preparing the langar, some things have been taken special care, so that this langar can be distributed to people of every religion."
He added, "Under the 'Seva Pakhwada' initiative which is celebrated as the Swacchata Bharat Abhiyan, several people across the country are contributing towards this initiative by organising cleanliness drives or langars at different religious places of worship. We have prepared a vegetarian langar to spread a message of brotherhood, peace and harmony among countrymen. Under the joint initiative of the Indian Minority Foundation and the Chisty Foundation Ajmer Sharif, we want to spread a message of "Mohabbat sab se, nafrat kisi se bhi nahi" (spread the message of love and harmony instead of hatred among people). We pray for PM Modi's good health and long life on his birthday so the nation grows under his robust leadership. We also pray for the well-being of 140 crore countrymen from this dargah."
Sarabjot Singh Chhabra, who was present at the event, said, "This programme is being organised on PM Modi's birthday. We have also contributed to this noble cause. From here, a message of peace is spread across the nation. The langar prepared will be distributed among the needy and travellers."
Notably, the 'Big Shahi Degh' in Ajmer Dargah in which 4,000 kg of langar had been prepared was gifted by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1568 after the fulfilment of his vow. Only sweet rice or halwa is prepared in this Shahi Degh.
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