Good news for women Haj aspirants.
They can now accompany their male ‘Mahram’ (close kin) who are already selected for the pilgrimage this year.
The Haj Committee of India has allotted 200 such seats for the entire country.
In case the number of applicants exceed, selection would be made on the basis of ‘qurrah’ (draw of lots). The last date for applying for the Maharam quota is May 20.
Pilgrims, who gathered for the first orientation training camp here on Sunday, were quite excited by this piece of news.
Women who couldn’t apply for Haj in time can now undertake pilgrimage if their close relatives are proceeding on Haj.
Pilgrims can also look forward to free accommodation at the Nizam’s ‘Rubat’ in Makkah. According to Deputy Chief Minister, Mohd Mahmood Ali, the Rubat row is almost solved and free accommodation of 600 Haj pilgrims is certain. For the last couple of years pilgrims couldn’t avail accommodation at the guest house built by Nizam because of the dispute between the Nizam Awqaf Committee and Husain Shariff, caretaker of the Rubat. Selection for the Rubat accommodation will be made from the pilgrims who opted for the ‘Azizia’ category.
Efforts are also on to secure an additional quota of 2,000 seats for Telangana. Chief Minister, K. Chandrashekar Rao, has already written to the Ministry of External Affairs in this regard.
Pilgrims need not bother about ‘qurbani’ (animal sacrifice) as the Haj Committee of India is making arrangements for it in association with the Islamic Development Bank of Saudi Arabia.
A sum of 490 Saudi Riyals towards ‘qurbani’ and 110 Riyals towards food at Madina Munawwara will be deducted from the foreign exchange being provided to each pilgrim.
