By IANS
Ajmer : Thousands of pilgrims stranded at Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti's Dargah here due to statewide violent protests by Gujjars are surviving on the free food and shelter being provided by the Dargah administration.
Over 2,000 pilgrims are reported to be camping in and around the shrine since the past five days. Rail and road traffic came to a standstill in Rajasthan after Gujjars damaged railway tracks and blocked highways as part of their agitation, which began May 29. The Gujjars have been demanding tribal status for their community.
Built by Mughal emperor Humayun, Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti's Dargah is an Ajmer landmark and one of the holiest Muslim shrines in the country. It has a secular appeal and is revered by people of all faiths.
The langar (free food) distributed by the Dargah administration is the only means of survival for the pilgrims who are stranded here. "I came here all the way from Bareli in Uttar Pradesh. I have been here with my five children for the past four days. Only the langar is helping us survive," said Imran, a pilgrim.
Fareed, who had come from a village in Bihar, said: "Besides food and shelter, the major problem is that we have run out of money and are not able to inform our relatives who would be worried about us."
Though bus services resumed Saturday night, many were unable to return home as they had already spent all their money in feeding their families and could not afford the ticket fare.
"Problems started when we were on way to the Dargah. We had to spend the whole night at a railway junction near Jaipur. Finally, we managed to somehow reach Ajmer. But now when the bus services have resumed we don't have any money to go back" says Shahida, a resident of Rampur in Uttar Pradesh.