Pilgrims who were grief-stricken to hear the news of Haj being cancelled this year can now rejoice as Saudi Arabia has announced that it will not entirely cancel Haj pilgrimage 2020. One-thousand Saudi residents will be allowed to visit the holy sanctuary! By Amitha Ameen
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A couple of weeks earlier, news of the Coronavirus outbreak disrupting the annual Haj pilgrimage for the first time ever and leading to the event’s cancellation caused a lot of furore amongst Muslim devotees. One of the largest human gatherings on the planet, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca is considered a rite of passage and is even a lifelong dream for many.
While Saudi Arabia now confirmed that Haj 2020 will not be cancelled, the country has made it clear that the event will be significantly scaled-down keeping in mind the Coronavirus pandemic. The event which usually sees a whopping 2.5 million people each year will now, for the first time, witness only a meagre 1,000 pilgrims, and that too only those who are Saudi residents and citizens.
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This is being done by authorities to make sure to adhere to social distancing guidelines and avoid the risk of community transmission in the holy site.
The ban on international tourists, too, is a first in the kingdom’s history, and the dearth of pilgrims will invite a big blow for the locals who are dependent on the trade that tourists bring in every year. Those who will be allowed to take part in the ritual will be asked to take the Coronavirus test before arriving in the city and will be required to undergo home quarantine after the ritual as well.
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