Wednesday, 14 November 2012

First Haj flight to return tomorrow


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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