Haj pilgrims upset over steep hike in pilgrimage charges

The impact of inflation and loss of income in the wake of the coronavirus-induced lockdown has left Muslims disappointed as they are not able to manage funds for the Haj. According to the pilgrims, this time the pilgrimage cost seems to be about two times more expensive than the last year.

Lucknow: Haj pilgrims across the country have expressed disappointment over the abnormal hike in pilgrimage charges this year.

The Haj pilgrimage for Muslims was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

After this, all the applicants were returned their money by the Haj Committee of India.

Now preparations for the Haj Yatra or holy pilgrimage 2021 have started. Those people, who missed the opportunity last year, also want to go on pilgrimage this year as they missed the opportunity last year.

However, the impact of inflation and loss of income in the wake of the coronavirus-induced lockdown has left Muslims disappointed as they are not able to manage funds for the Haj.

Every Muslim aspires to go on Haj pilgrimage once in his lifetime. The Haj is considered as one of the five basic pillars of Islam.

As a result, Muslims from across the world leave for Mecca Medina in Saudi Arabia on the holy pilgrimage of Haj every year.

Now inflation has become a new problem for those who wish to go on the holy pilgrimage.

According to the pilgrims, who are planning to go on Haj, this time the pilgrimage cost seems to be about two times more expensive than last year.

Therefore, those going on Haj will have to arrange more funds. This has become a major cause of worry for them in view of the loss of jobs, setback to their businesses and shrink in the sources of income due to the pandemic.

Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahli, a Muslim cleric and also chairman of the Islamic Centre of India, has expressed concern over the issue, saying that last time people could not go on Haj because of the corona pandemic and lockdown.

"This time a large number of people want to go for Haj but the expenses have increased a lot. Because of this, people are very disappointed," he said.

He also appealed to the Haj Committee of India and the Minority Department to reduce the cost of Haj keeping in mind the convenience of the pilgrims going for the Haj.

He said that due to financial hardships, Muslims should not be deprived of Haj to perform their religious works.

According to the experts associated with the Haj Committee of India, a pilgrim will have to manage about Rs 3-5 lakh in order to proceed on the pilgrimage.

The reason for this, according to the guidelines for COVID-19, is the accommodation cost for pilgrims in Mecca and Madina.

This time many major and important changes have been made in Haj pilgrimage procedure because of COVID-19.

This time only 15 passengers will be allowed to sit in the 45-seater bus and only the people aged between 18 and 65 years will be allowed to go on the Haj.

Notably, women going on Haj without ‘Mehram’ can apply by forming a group of only three instead of four.