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Summary Hajj pilgrimage started Wednesday as more than two million Muslims proceed for journey of faith.
The pilgrims, among them some 1.7 million who have travelled from across the world to be in Saudi Arabia for the rituals, began leaving the holy city of Mecca at dawn on Wednesday headed for the holy sites of Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat.In the arid valley of Mina, a pit-stop en route to Mount Arafat, pilgrims will spend the night Wednesday in government provided tents and buildings, passing the time in prayer and reflection.The passage to Mina marks the official launch of the hajj on the eighth day of the Muslim calendar month of Dhul Hijja.The day is known as Tarwiah (Watering) as pilgrims in the past stopped at Mina to feed their animals and stock up for the following days trip to Mount Arafat.Men dressed in the white shrouds symbolising resurrection chanted in unison as they marched towards Mina: I am responding to your call, God.The women, dressed from head to foot revealing only their faces and hands, echoed the religious chant.Sweaty and exasperated, 55-year-old Indonesian pilgrim Laila Soharti said she was trying to get to Mina before the roads start getting too crowded.We are thrilled to be heading towards Gods most sacred spots on earth, she told AFP.In Mina, the desolate plain that only comes to life during the five days of hajj, men and women separate for the night, sharing tents with fellow pilgrims of the same sex.For Akram Hussein, a 42-year-old Iraqi on his first pilgrimage with his family described the hajj as great days in which we must follow in the footsteps of our Prophet Mohammed.Syrian pilgrim Mohammed Noor meanwhile said he was extremely glad God has chosen us from among so many people to perform hajj this year and we hope he will also aid us in observing the rites correctly.If he chooses that we die here we will be very happy as well since it means well go to heaven, he told AFP soon after arriving in Mina.The pilgrims stay in Mecca has so far been incident-free, with some 25,700 members of civil defence deployed throughout the kingdoms holy cities.In Mina, 100 civil defence teams are on call, ready to deal with emergencies.
