Second Scaled-down Hajj organized by Saudi Arabia

Report by Ananya Singh

Mecca, July 19: Hajj, one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings, is one of the 5 pillars of Islam. Saudi Arabia organized a scaled-down version of Hajj for the pilgrims for the second year in a row. Previously, Hajj drew around 2.5 million pilgrim from all over the world, but this year just 60,000 pilgrims were allowed to perform the rituals. The Hajj would be conducted under strict covid norms.

As a part of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, pilgrims circumambulate (tawaf in Arabic; circle) around the Kaaba, a large cubic structure draped with golden embroidered black cloth, towards which all Muslims pray. It is Islam’s holiest shrine at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. After that they visit the Valley of Mina, where they spend the night. Finally, they climb Mount Arafat, also known as the ‘Mount of Mercy’. It is said that it is the site from where Prophet Mohammad delivered his final sermon.

60,000 fully vaccinated people with no co-morbidities were selected from a total of 558,000 applicants. Hajj began on 17th July and will conclude on 22nd July 2021.