J&K’s first batch of Hajj pilgrims leaves for Saudi Arabia

The first batch of 630 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir left for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for the annual Hajj pilgrimage of 2023

The first batch of 630 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir left for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for the annual Hajj pilgrimage of 2023.

There were emotional scenes outside Hajj House at Bemina, Srinagar where hundreds of people had assembled . (Waseem Andrabi/HT Photo)

There were emotional scenes outside Hajj House at Bemina, Srinagar where hundreds of people had assembled to bid farewell to their near and dear ones for the holy pilgrimage. Around 630 pilgrims in white dresses hymned spiritual chants ‘Here I am, O Allah, here I am’ as they said good bye amid hugs and kisses to their relatives.“This is my first pilgrimage. I pray for the happiness of the whole Muslim world particularly people of Kashmir. May Almighty get us out of the miseries we are in and grant us happiness and peace,” said an emotional pilgrim from south Kashmir’s Pulwama. Another pilgrim from Srinagar prayed for peace in Kashmir. “Kashmir is in so much grief, may Almighty lift these clouds of sadness,” she said. A third pilgrim prayed for the youth of J&K. “I want things to improve in Kashmir. The valley is in ruins. Nobody is our benefactor except Allah,” he said. The pilgrims were transported from Hajj House in J&K Road Transport Corporation buses to reach Srinagar International Airport where they were flagged off by lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha in two flights.

“I flagged off the 1st batch of Haj pilgrims from Srinagar International Airport, today. I pray for a successful pilgrimage and peace & prosperity for J&K,” said Sinha.

A minimum of 40 flights will be operating between June 7 and 22 from Srinagar International Airport for the Hajj pilgrims. This year around 12,079 pilgrims from the Union Territory of Jammu Kashmir and 452 from Ladakh will perform Hajj pilgrimage. The Hajj pilgrims will be received by the consulate general of india, Ministry of External Affairs, at Jeddah.

Shujaat Ahmad Qureshi, executive officer J&K Hajj Committee said that two flights were operated on Wednesday with 630 pilgrims. “We have 12,079 seats allotted but we expect 200-300 to be added more,” he said.

He said that the Hajj Committee has put all the necessary arrangements in place. “This is our biggest overseas operation. The Hajj Committee of India and Hajj Committees of individual states and union territories try their best to put all the arrangements,” he said.

Last year, around 6,000 pilgrims from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh had performed Hajj pilgrimage, of which 5,856 had left from the Valley and the others from Delhi Airport. The Hajj could not be held in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid restrictions.