Indian pilgrims gather at Mount Arafat for Haj: Indian envoy to Saudi
Jun 15, 2024
New Delhi [India], June 15 : Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Suhel Ajaz Khan on Saturday said that the Indian pilgrims have gathered at Mount Arafat for Haj, the most crucial day of Haj.
The pilgrims from across the world have moved from the tent city of Mina to the plains of Arafat, he noted. 
"Today is the day of Arafat. This is the most crucial day of the Hajj. Today, every pilgrim from all across the world moves from the tent city of Mena to the plains of Arafat. And everyone spends the entire day here till the sunset in prayers. After the sunset, all the pilgrims will move to Muzdalifah, and tomorrow morning they will return back to Mina," the Indian envoy said in a post on X.
The Indian Haj Pilgrims Office took to X, stating that all the Indian Haj Pilgrims are currently in Arafat, completing the most important element of Haj 2024.
https://x.com/hajmission/status/1801971586116849718
"These five days of the Haj are the core Haj period and the most crucial part of the Haj. All 175,000 pilgrims who have come from India have moved to Arafat and are busy in their prayers," the Indian envoy said in a video message. 
He further said that the Haj missions, along with various service providers, have made arrangements for the pilgrims who are staying in Arafat.
"Haj mission, along with the Saudi Haj authorities, Saudi Haj ministry and various service providers have made all the arrangements for moving the pilgrims from Mina to Arafat, arrangements for their stay in Arafat, and their return back to Muzdalifah in Mina," he said.
"And after today, the main ritual of the Haj will be over," the envoy added.
"So I once again want to wish everyone a very, very happy Haj," he said.
In a historical moment, Indian Hajis used a high-speed train directly from the Jeddah Airport to Makkah for the very first time, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said.
The Embassy noted that the train would not only shorten the journey time but, about 32000 Indian Hajis will also use this exclusive service this year.
Notably, a total quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims from India were finalised for Haj this year, after India signed the Bilateral Haj Agreement 2024 with Saudi Arabia (KSA) at Jeddah in January this year.
The Bilateral Haj Agreement was signed in January 2024 between Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs Smriti Irani accompanied by V Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, and Dr Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, Minister of Haj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
