ETV Bharat Ground Report | Hajj Pilgrimage Begins To Conclude

Makkah (Saudi Arabia): The curtains began to draw on the annual Hajj pilgrimage on Wednesday as pilgrims started performing Tawaf al-Ifadah, a mandatory circumambulation of the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque. This fourth pillar of Hajj is performed after pilgrims complete standing at Arafat, spending the night in Muzdalifah and performing the ritual of stoning at Jamraat--all rituals done in a series.

Tens of thousands of pilgrims were seen marching towards Jamraat, shortly after offering pre-dawn Fajr prayers, to perform the stoning ritual. Three symbolic wall-like structures have been erected at Jamraat, as a symbolic representation of Satan. The pilgrims toss pebbles towards the walls, seven on the first day on the largest wall and seven each on all three walls on the subsequent two days. The pilgrims immediately head towards the Grand Mosque to perform Tawaf Al-Afadah.

After completing the stoning rituals on three days called Tashreeq, the pilgrims will conclude the Hajj pilgrimage with the farewell circumambulation known as Tawaf Al-Wida before leaving Makkah city.

ETV Bharat correspondent spoke to a few Indian pilgrims on their way to Jamarat who lauded the arrangements of the Saudi Arabian government for a smooth and hassle-free pilgrimage. "We did not face any major problem. This journey is arduous as many rituals are to be performed in scorching heat, but every pilgrim is mentally prepared for it," said a pilgrim from Uttar Pradesh.

Jamarat is in Mina Valley, from where the Hajj rituals start as pilgrims offer the first five prayers from the beginning of the pilgrimage at Mina. Most pilgrims spent the night between the 9th and 10th Zilhaj at Muzdalifah under the open sky and immersed in supplications and prayers, following the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad.

As the dawn broke on Wednesday, the pilgrims began their march towards Jamarat for the stoning ritual, which also coincides with the celebration of Eid-ul-Azha. The pilgrims offer a sacrifice of an animal, which enables them to put off the uniform all-white, unstitched dress called Ihram. All male pilgrims wear Ihram, two cloth lengths used to wrap the entire body.

Elaborate arrangements of security and prevention from scorching heat were seen near the Jamarat and the roads leading to it. Over 1.7 million pilgrims performed Hajj this year. These include 1,546,655 foreign pilgrims and 160,646 domestic pilgrims.

Council General of India, Jeddah, Farhan Suri told ETV Bharat that more than 1,75,000 pilgrims from India performed the pilgrimage. He lauded the collaboration between the Indian and Saudi authorities for the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage. The first batch of Indian pilgrims will return on May 30, and the flights will continue for a month's time.

Read More

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