Making a break from the tradition, a total of 1,308 Muslim women are going to Haj this year without “Mehram” (male companion) as an estimated 1,75,025 pilgrims hailing from across several States would be heading for the pilgrimage from July 14 onwards until July 30.
A record number of over 78,761 women, constituting more than 47 per cent of the total Hajis, would be leaving for the Haj, starting from July 14.
According to Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, for the first time Muslim women from India are going to Haj without “Mehram” (male companion). There are 1,308 Muslim women going without a male companion (as per tradition has to be a blood relation). These women are besides those who are traveling with male companions.
In an attempt to facilitate Haj travel of Muslim women in Saudi Arabia Naqvi said for the first time, a large number of women Haj Coordinators, Haj Assistants and Khadim Ul Hujjaj, doctors and para-medics have been deployed in that country. A total of 98 Assistant Haj Officers, Haj Assistants Haj Coordinators, doctors and para-medics have been stationed to assist Haj pilgrims.
A total of 1,75,025 Haj pilgrims, ‘the largest since Independence’, hailing from across several States would head for Haj pilgrimage from July 14 onwards, the largest contingent of 19,000 being from Delhi, 8950 from Srinagar, 3,250 from Varanasi and the smallest 254 from Bhopal.
Similarly, 6,700 pilgrims will go from Ahmedabad, 350 from Aurangabad, 5,550 from Bengaluru, 11,700 from Cochin, 4,000 from Chennai, 5140 from Gaya, 450 from Goa, 2,950 from Guwahati, 7,600 from Hyderabad, 5,500 from Jaipur, 11,610 from Kolkata, 14,500 from lucknow, 430 from Mangalore, 14,200 from Mumbai, 2,800 from Nagpur and 2,100 from Ranchi.
Naqvi said that despite of removal of Haj subsidy and various new taxes (road, electricity etc) imposed in Saudi Arabia, a record number of Muslims from India are going to Haj this year that too without any additional financial burden.