Khadims help devotees get change for Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes by taking from the donation vessels; also provide free food after hotels turn the visitors away
People queue up near the degh at Ajmer Dargah to get change for their Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes
Several devotees stranded at the Ajmer Dargah after the Prime Minister’s decision to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes breathed a sigh of relief after the khadims (attendants) there helped them get change. The khadims dug into the degh (the vessel people put cash donations in) for helping the visitors, many of whom had come from Mumbai.
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The khadims also offered them langar (free food) after hotels turned those having only Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes away.
Divine help
Haji Sayed Ali Hussain Chishti (khadim) of Ajmer Sharif said, “On Thursday afternoon, we saw most of the devotees struggling to arrange money. With banks closed and most of them being from other states, they were helpless. So, we helped them out with change taken from the degh, as it was an emergency.”
“We distributed the change so that devotees would have some cash on them to return home. We even gave change from our own pocket. We will deposit the banned notes in the bank, in the trust’s official account. Langar was kept on Wednesday and Thursday... Most of the devotees have been coming here for decades to seek blessings; it was our duty to help them,” said Sayed Wahid Hussain Chishti, secretary of the Anjuman Moinia Fakhria Khuddam Khwaja Sahaab Trust.
A relieved bunch
Dongri businessman Haji Kadar (59), who visits every month on Chatti (the sixth of every month as per the Urdu calendar) said, “I reached Ajmer Sharif on November 6, my return ticket was on November 9.
On Wednesday, when I came to know about the ban, I was in a fix. By grace of the Sufi saint, it worked out... the khadims gave me change for Rs 7,000. The money helped me pay for the hotel, buy sweets and return home.”
Crawford Market resident Mohammed Muktadir (33) had a similar story to share.
“Not just Mumbai, there were so many from other states as well, all of whom were helped with change by the khadims. I came to know about the ban via WhatsApp. On Thursday afternoon, the dargah trust officials announced on the loudspeaker about change being given to devotees near the degh. I rushed there and got change for R1,500. It helped me pay for the hotel and my return journey,” he said.
A look inside the degh
Inside Ajmer Sharif, two big deghs (pots) are installed for cooking niaz (pure vegetarian food, made with rice, ghee, nuts, saffron and sugar). The system of cooking food in a degh was introduced by Mughal emperor Akbar. Since then, a large quantity of different types of food items has always been cooked in deghs generally at night; it is distributed among the people after fajr (morning) prayers. One degh weighs 4,800 kg and another 2,400 kg.
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