In order to avert any accident during the annual Haj scheduled to begin on December 18, Saudi authorities have asked pilgrims to perform their rituals in an orderly manner without causing harm or discomfort to anybody.
Delivering his Friday sermon, Sheikh Saud Al-Shuraim, an imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah urged pilgrims to keep away from activities that would spoil their Haj, such as rivalry and fighting or blocking pathways.
More than 500,000 pilgrims from different parts of the world have already arrived for the Haj. Approximately 2.5 million pilgrims are expected to perform Haj this year.
Indian Consul General Ausaf Sayeed told PTI that 60,429 Indian pilgrims have arrived, of which 51,122 are in Makkah and 9,293 are in Madinah. This year 12 centenarians are among the nearly 157,000 Indians pilgrims performing the annual pilgrimage.
To create awareness about safety the Indian Pilgrims Welfare Forum (IPWF) organised an orientation programme for Indian hajis in Makkah, which was attended by more than 600 pilgrims, a majority of whom were ladies, Sayeed said.