New Delhi: A million pilgrims from around the world gathered in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform the initial rites of the hajj on Thursday, marking it the largest since the Covid-19 pandemic, according to AFP. However, it is lesser than the number of pilgrims seen in 2019, when about 2.5 million people took part in the rituals, which include circling the Kaaba, the imposing black cube at Mecca's Grand Mosque, and gathering at Mount Arafat and "stoning the devil" in Mina.
The Hajj is considered to be a once-in-a-lifetime duty for all Muslims who can physically and financially afford to do so.
The pilgrims visiting Mecca for the hajj have to be under 65, vaccinated and will have to follow strict sanitary conditions. Also, the Grand Mosque, the holiest site in Islam, is being scrubbed and disinfected 10 times a day, AFP reported. Masks are mandatory at the Grand Mosque and pilgrims from abroad will have to show a negative RT-PCR result.
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According to AFP, foreigners were barred and worshippers were restricted to just 10,000 in 2020. The number was, however, increased to 60,000 fully vaccinated Saudi citizens and residents in 2021. The initiative was taken to stop the hajj from turning into a global super-spreader.
The pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a powerful source of prestige for the conservative desert kingdom and its de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is returning from the diplomatic wilderness.
According to AP, pilgrims wear simple clothing. It’s typical for men to wear a white draping garment, while women wear conservative dresses and headscarves, with no make-up, or nail polish.