Ajmer, June 28 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sent a “Chadar” or, the holy cloth as his offering at the revered shrine of Sufi saint Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti in Ajmer Sharif on Sunday.

Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Prithviraj Chavan and Minister of State Sachin Pilot presented the sacred cloth on Prime Minister’s behalf on the shrine.

Dr. Singh in a message stated that the teachings of the great Khwaja is more relevant in today’s strife torn world.

“He equated feeding the hungry, redressing the aggrieved and helping the distressed, to prayers…the legacy of the great Khwaja is more relevant in today’s strife torn world, than ever before,” said Chavan read out from PM’s message.

The Dargah of Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti is hosting the religious fair or “Urs” marking the 797th death anniversary of the Sufi saint that began on Friday (June 26).

“Urs”, as the congregation is called in Urdu, marks the death anniversary of Moin-ud-din Chisti who is popularly called “Garib Nawaz”, or the “messiah of the poor”.

Millions of devotees from all across the world visit the saint’s shrine during the Urs ceremony. The shrine also attracts devotees from Pakistan.

Moin-ud-din Chisti is believed to have been born in 1142 AD. Since his ancestors belonged to a town named Chisti, people began calling him by that name.

Chisti, who preached tolerance and unity of all religions, died in Ajmer where his tomb has become a shrine for millions of people.

In 1236 AD, the saint entered his cell to pray in seclusion for six days, at the end of which he died. Since then Urs has been celebrated for six days every year.

It is believed that praying at the tomb of the saint fulfils a person’s wishes.

Devotees visiting the shrine offer fresh flowers as a symbol of their devotion. Some even go up to the extent of offering large amounts of money and expensive jewels. (ANI)