Hundreds of Haj pilgrims have begun their journey, with multiple batches departing from Vijayawada, Srinagar and New Delhi as the annual pilgrimage season gets underway.
A total of 334 Haj pilgrims are set to depart from Vijayawada International Airport, reports said. They said 156 pilgrims will depart on Sunday, while 178 pilgrims will leave on Monday.
The first batch of 371 pilgrims had departed for Mecca from New Delhi. It marked the commencement of the annual pilgrimage season from India.
The first batch left for Saudi Arabia in the presence of Delhi Haj Committee Chairperson Kausar Jahan. She thanked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that under his leadership facilities have expanded and the government is “facilitating everything for the smooth and safe and easy journey”.
Meanwhile, three flights carrying 431 pilgrims departed from Srinagar International Airport on Sunday. In total, 28 flights will operate between April 18 and May 5 to facilitate the journey. This year, 4,706 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir will undertake the pilgrimage.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, along with other senior officials, bid farewell to the first group. On the occasion, he interacted with the pilgrims, extending warm greetings and wishing them a safe, peaceful, and spiritually fulfilling journey. He expressed hope that the sacred pilgrimage would reinforce the values of compassion, unity, and brotherhood.
From the early hours of the morning, hundreds of family members gathered at the Haj House in Srinagar to see off their relatives and friends selected for this year’s pilgrimage.
Haj Officer Shujaat Ahmad Qureshi said the first batch of 431 pilgrims includes 230 men and 201 women. “The first flight carried 79 men and 66 women, the second had 78 men and 65 women, while the third carried 73 men and 70 women,” he said.
