1.75 lakh Indians embark on Haj as pilgrimage begins

PT News New Delhi, May 25

PT News

The annual five-day Haj pilgrimage began on Monday amid regional tensions in West Asia, as more than 1.6 million Muslims from around the world commenced their journey from the holy city of Mecca to the tent city of Mina in Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims will spend the night there before moving to the plains of Arafat at dawn on Tuesday for the main ritual of Haj prayers. Around 1.75 lakh pilgrims from India are participating in this year’s pilgrimage. The faithful have been arriving in Saudi Arabia for the Haj against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire in the Iran war and broader regional tensions and uncertainty. On the first day, many pilgrims in Mecca converge at a vast tent camp in the nearby desert.