Families Bid Emotional Farewell to Haj Pilgrims
Speaking at the event, Azharuddin urged pilgrims to spend their time praying and follow all rules in Saudi Arabia. He said the Telangana government, under Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, had taken special measures to ensure their comfort and safety.
Hyderabad: The Haj House here on Monday witnessed emotional scenes as families sent off their loved ones on a 40‑day journey to perform Haj in Saudi Arabia. Haj flights began with three departures from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.
A total of 430 pilgrims departed in the first batch, flagged off by minorities welfare minister Mohammed Azharuddin in the early hours. In all, 1,290 pilgrims left on day one. The remaining pilgrims were asked to report to the Haj House 12 hours before departure to collect their kits. Flights will continue until May 21.
Haj Committee chairman Syed Ghulam Afzal Biyabani, Telangana Waqf Board chairman Azmatullah Hussaini, minorities department secretary Shafiullah and other officials were present.
Speaking at the event, Azharuddin urged pilgrims to spend their time praying and follow all rules in Saudi Arabia. He said the Telangana government, under Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, had taken special measures to ensure their comfort and safety.
Several pilgrims told Deccan Chronicle this was their first Haj. Nikhat Fatima said she was fortunate to be selected in the first list. They noted that the Haj Committee option was more affordable than private packages, as subsidies helped reduce expenses. Syed Irshad Ahmed expressed happiness with the arrangements, including boarding passes, smart watches for tracking, and baggage safety measures.
Rayyesa Begum, who arrived from Gulbarga, said she felt blessed to undertake the journey despite her age and hoped to complete Haj with strength. Shakeel Ahmed, travelling with his mother and wife, said the training sessions helped them prepare for the journey and cope with weather conditions.
