Saudi Arabia: Over 3 Million Pilgrims Perform Hajj Rituals
By A.M. Arif Jokatte & Mohammed Iqbal Katipalla from Mina Tent City, KSA
MINA( Tent City ), Nov 18 : Pilgrims performing Hajj throw stones at the big Satan in a emblematic negative response of excitement, as Muslims in and around the gulf countries and elsewhere celebrated the festival of sacrifice.
Huge mass of Muslims filed along a giant slope that houses the walls in the Mina vale, pelting them. Some 3 million hajjis from around the globe were performing the hajj pilgrimage this year, and the stoning ceremony continues smoothly and better than the past years, the building of the four-story-tall ramp in recent years has eased access and barred rush.
As an alternative, the biggest difficulty this year come into view to be traffic on roads, as the crowd of pilgrims moved stuck between Mina and other ritual sites.
It become quite visible that a greater number than usual of “unofficial” pilgrims were seen performing the Hajj this year as usual , pilgrims who slipped in without going through Hajj tour grouping as required by Saudi authorities and sleep along roadsides in their own tents during the four days of rituals.
“Everything is blocked, We can’t go through our rituals because of road block” moaned Husnain Khan 55-year-old Pakistani stuck in a traffic jam trying to get into Mina. “Even though some minor faults the arrangement in Mina & Arafat carried out by Saudi Hajj Authority is really appreciable” said some pilgrims.
Healthy Set up by Indian Hajj Mission : With 20 plus dedicated staff were ready to help for Indian pilgrims in Indian Hajj Mission situated in Mina Tent City. Mr. Saeed Ahmed Baba, Consul General himself has been actively supervising the Hajj Mission to accelerate action on pilgrims complaints and to resolve the tribulations. It immensely to see that Indian Hajj Consul Chief Mr.B.S.Mubarak also eagerly pay attention to the complaints for the pilgrims , “ Saudi Hajj Authority completed good precautionary preparations this year so abridged our difficulties” he said.
Some of Private Hajj tours radically troubles the pilgrims and they expressed their feelings as poor facility experienced in Mina and Arafat.
Some memorable views : The Metro Train wherever the Arafat, mina and Muzdalifa Area is the special feature of this year and some of Auto rickshaws and Bicycle ambulance also smoothly varied around the Mina area throughout the crowd when Pilgrims needs. The Saudi Student Cadets, Scouts and India Fraternity Forum, Expat Volunteers arrived from around the Kingdom were very useful guides wherever in mina and Jamarath for pilgrims to guide them right way to reach their tents / locations. Specially volunteers were reaching pilgrims to their tents and requested place by holding their hands and carrying through wheelchairs. All hospitals around Mina a Tent city has been well setup for sick pilgrims and their ambulance was highly alerted around Mina area.
The first day of stoning also marks the start of the Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Adha, meaning “Feast of Sacrifice,” when Muslims around the world slaughter sheep and cattle in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim (A) the sacrifice of his son.
After performing the stoning, pilgrims bought tokens to have a sheep slaughtered and the meat distributed to the poor on their behalf. The stoning will last for three days until the end of Hajj ritual.