DUSHANBE, October 18, 2013, Asia-Plus – The first group of Tajik Hajj pilgrims numbering 210 people will return home tomorrow night, at 11:20 pm, Lola Kenjayeva, a spokeswoman for Tajik national air carrier, Tajik Air, said.
“In all, 2,700 Tajik Hajj pilgrims will be carried by planes of Tajik Air from Jeddah and Medina to Dushanbe from October 19 to November 4,” Ms. Kenjayeva said.
According to some sources, 6,300 Muslims from Tajikistan have performed Hajj this year. We will recall that Saudi Arabia has slashed the number of Hajj pilgrims, including from Tajikistan, by 20 percent, citing massive construction work aimed at expanding grand Mecca mosque as a reason behind the decision.
This year, the cost of a round-trip ticket for Dushanbe-Jeddah-Dushanbe has increased by 241.00 somoni. Besides, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj has reportedly raised the cost of one Hajj seat by 240.00 somoni.
Therefore, Tajik pilgrims had to pay 17,625 somoni (equivalent to more than 3,710 USD) this year. This amount included travel expenses, board and lodging, medical service, special clothing with the national flag and purchase of animal for sacrificing during the Hajj.
Last year, the Hajj cost was 17,127.70 (equivalent to 3,546 U.S. dollars) and in 2011, the Hajj cost was 3,448 U.S. dollars.
In 2010, the Committee on Religious Affairs introduced age restrictions on those who want to perform the Hajj. Only citizens aged 18 to 80 are able to perform the Hajj.
The Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is currently the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God. The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th and last month of the Islamic calendar. Because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, the Gregorian date of the Hajj changes from year to year.
