Hajj is a pilgrimage that people belonging to the Islamic faith have to undertake at least once in their lifetime. It is one of the most important spiritual aspects of Muslims and is one of the five pillars or basic principles of Islam. There are many government and private schemes that aid underprivileged Muslims in completing this important part of their faith. In a new landmark policy, the Indian government has made Hajj application forms free and even reduced package costs.
New Hajj Policy: Reduced Packages & Free Forms
On Monday, the 6th of February, the Ministry for Minority Affairs announced a new landmark policy of Hajj which will make undertaking this religious travel more accessible. Earlier, the application form cost ₹300 regardless of whether your form was selected or not, however, now the form is made absolutely free.
Only a nominal processing fee will be charged but only to those people whose forms have been selected. The policy is said to bring monetary relief for many since the prices of Hajj packages have been reduced by as much as ₹50,000.
The number of embarkation points have also been increased. Now there are a total of 25 embarkation points. They are Calicut, Srinagar, Agartala, Ranchi, Vijayawada, Gaya, Kannur Guwahati, Lucknow, Indore, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Chennai, Mangalore, Cochin, Goa, Hyderabad, Aurangabad, Bangalore, Varanasi, Kolkata, Jaipur, Nagpur, Mumbai, and Delhi.
Also Read: Shah Rukh Khan Visits Mecca For Umrah. Fans Are Delighted To Catch Glimpse Of Actor
Application Process & Eligibility Criteria
One can get Hajj application forms from their respective state or Union Territories’ Haj Committee, free of cost. You can also download the application form from the website of the Haj Committee of India hajcommittee.gov.in, or through the android mobile application for the same that is available on Google Play Store.
Only those people who have never been on the Hajj through the Haj Committee of India will be eligible to apply. However, Mehrams, or companions to women or people over the age of 70, will be permitted to go. A written undertaking has to be submitted. The undertaking must declare that no other Mehram who hasn’t performed the Hajj is available in the family.
The Mehram in question will then have to pay a certain additional fee in order to accompany the family members for the Hajj. Women above the age of 45 years who do not have a Mehram available, can form groups of four or more with people from the same Maslak or religious sect and go for the Hajj.
Also Read: Saudi Arabia Has Issued Over 2 Million Umrah Visas In The Last 3 Months
Are you or your loved ones planning on undertaking the holy pilgrimage soon? Let us know in the comments below!
Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons