Haj
pilgrims who went to Makkah under government supervision from Kerala will begin
their return journey on Friday. The first return flight will land at Calicut
International Airport at Karipur at 1.10 p.m. on Friday carrying 300 Hajis.
All
the flights are returning from Madina. Minister for Haj Affairs P.K.
Kunhalikutty, State Haj Committee chairman Kottumala T.M. Bapu Musliar, and
other Haj committee members will receive the pilgrims at the airport.
Saudi
Arabian Airlines will operate 30 chartered flight services to bring back 8,820
pilgrims, including 313 pilgrims of Lakshadweep and 71 of Mahe. Unlike the
previous years, the pilgrims will not have to carry the holy water Zamzam along
with them.
Holy
water
The
committee has made agreement with the Saudi Arabian Airlines to bring the
Zamzam in bulk and supply it to the pilgrims on their return at Karipur
airport. “Each pilgrim will be given 10 litres of Zamzam at Karipur airport.
They need not have to carry the water containers along with them on their
journey. But they can go home with the ‘thabarruk’ of having the holy water
with them,” Mr. Bapu Musliar said.
As
many as 8,830 pilgrims had gone to Makkah under government supervision via
Karipur. More than 60 per cent of them were aged above 70 years. As many as 10
of them died in Saudi Arabia at different times during the pilgrimage.
Mr.
Bapu Musliar said the pilgrimage was smooth and easier than the previous years.
“One of the toughest and most difficult points of the pilgrimage was the
stoning at Jamra. Many accidents have taken place at Jamra in the past. But the
Saudi government has adopted the best measures to prevent accidents at Jamra,”
he said.
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