Restrictions on Haj pilgrims, free for all at Kumbh

Even as the Kumbh Mela is being allowed without restrictions in India, Saudi Arabia has made it compulsory for foreign pilgrims arriving for umrah pilgrimage to be immunised against COVID 19.

Worshippers entered Mecca’s Grand Mosque wearing masks and were allowed inside in batches.

In contrast, lakhs of people had their holy bath in the Ganga as a part of the Shahi Snaan at Haridwar, without following any social distancing norms. In Mecca, the pilgrims were also made to keep safe distance from each other.

Even in the case of local pilgrims, only immunised persons are allowed to perform the pilgrimage and attend prayers in the Gran Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan, which started two days ago. The restrictions were announced by the Hajj and Umrah Ministry, at the start of this month.

The Ministry has defined ‘immunised’ as those who have received two doses of the corona virus vaccine, those administered a single dose at least 14 days earlier and those who have recovered from the infection.

The capacity of the mosque has been increased to one lakh worshippers per day from 50,000.

In the light of the COVID 19 pandemic last year, the Saudi government had imposed strict restrictions on Haj pilgrims. Only 10,000 residents of Saudi Arabia were allowed last year, with a complete ban on foreign pilgrims. In the previous year 2.5 million Muslims from all over the world participated in the Haj piligrimage.

In India, 1,300 pilgrims at Kumbh Mela have tested positive in the first five days, yet there are no restrictions on the participants. On the contrary, many fanatic Hindus, including Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat asserted that the blessings of “Maa Ganga will prevent COVID from spreading” among pilgrims.