Haj pilgrimage is going to start from Tuesday (26 May 2026) in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. From tonight, more than 15 lakh Hajis will be transported from hotels in Mecca to Meena through about 24 thousand buses. For the next five days, all Haj pilgrims will stay in the huge tent city of Mina, where the main religious rituals of Haj will be performed. This year, about 1 lakh 75 thousand 25 Haj pilgrims from India have reached Saudi Arabia. More than 45 thousand modern and air-conditioned tents have been installed in Meena for the accommodation of Hajis. These tents have the capacity to accommodate about 24 lakh to 30 lakh people. Apart from this, arrangements have also been made for accommodation of passengers in multi-storey buildings.

This time, comfortable beds like sofa-cum-beds have also been installed in many tents in Mecca. The Saudi Arabian government has deployed more than 1 lakh security personnel and paramilitary personnel to make the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage safe and orderly. Artificial intelligence, drones, thermal imaging, face recognition technology and thousands of CCTV cameras are being used in the security system. Fixed-wing aircraft have also been deployed to control the crowd and keep an eye on suspicious activities.

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Saudi Air Force got a big responsibility

Under the Unified Safety System of the Saudi Defense Ministry, the Air Force has been given the responsibility of monitoring and protecting the airspace of holy sites. The government says that the safety and convenience of the guests of Allah i.e. Haj pilgrims is the top priority. Strict action is also being taken against those performing Haj without valid Haj permit or visa. A fine of up to 20 thousand riyals i.e. approximately Rs 5 lakh can be imposed on such people. Foreign nationals will be immediately deported from the country and may be banned from entering Saudi Arabia for 10 years.

How long will the main event of Haj pilgrimage last?

The main event of Haj pilgrimage will run from 25 May to 29 May 2026. May 26 will be the day of Arfa, when all the pilgrims will gather at the grounds of Arafat. The next day, Eid al-Adha will be celebrated in Saudi Arabia on 27th May, while Bakrid will be celebrated in India on 28th May. This time the Indian Haj Committee has provided Haj Suvidha Smartwatch for the convenience and safety of Haj pilgrims. It has the facility of GPS and SIM card, due to which the location of the passenger can be easily traced if lost in the crowd. This watch also monitors heart rate and walking activities and helps in providing medical assistance if needed. Through this, information about helpline, important alerts and Haj Committee can be sent directly to the pilgrims.

Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam

To protect from heat and heat waves, water fountains, cooling systems and air-condition shelters have been installed on the roads. ORS packets and water bottles are also being distributed to the Hajis. Millions of seats have been reserved in the Al Mashaer Al Mugaddasa metro train service connecting Mecca and the holy sites to ease the movement of passengers. Hajj is considered one of the 5 basic pillars of Islam. It is considered necessary for every physically and financially capable Muslim to perform Hajj at least once in his life. This journey symbolizes following the religious traditions and teachings of Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Muhammad. The gathering of millions of Muslims from all over the world at one place gives the message of brotherhood, equality and humanity.

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