JEDDAH, 30 September — Indian Haj pilgrims will be trained this year with the help of multimedia presentations to perform Haj comfortably. A comprehensive program in CD-ROM format has been developed by the Consulate General of India for the orientation of the pilgrims in Haj rituals and the “ground realities” that they would face during the annual pilgrimage.
The pilgrims will have the option of rescheduling their departure after the pilgrimage. This is one of the major needs of the pilgrims the consulate has addressed with the multimedia program.
“The main aim of the program is to enhance the awareness of the pilgrims to ensure a smooth and incident-free Haj. It will also orient the pilgrims in their travels by air and road and the “ground realities” that they would face during the annual pilgrimage, Consul General Syed Akbaruddin told reporters at a CD-ROM and video presentation at the consulate yesterday.
The multimedia orientation program is essentially meant for training the trainers, conducted in Delhi and Bombay since 1999.
“Copies of the CD-ROM titled “The Haj: An introduction to the ground realities,” which includes all aspects of travel and rituals during the pilgrimage, will be circulated among the state Haj committees to be used for training at the districts level in their own languages,” he said, adding that incoming pilgrims would now be better informed about Haj.
The consul general also showed a videotape produced by the Central Haj Committee on various aspects of the pilgrimage.
Akbaruddin hoped that the CD-ROM, which vividly brings out the changes the pilgrimage has seen over the years, especially the massive expansion of the two holy mosques and the number of pilgrims performing the rituals, will go a long way in educating and informing the pilgrims about various aspects of Haj.
The Haj rituals are also pictorially shown in great detail. “We prepared the CD-ROM in about two months. What prompted us to embark on the project was the Kingdom’s keenness shown during last year’s Haj conference in Kuala Lumpur.
The program also addresses the baggage problem and explains that each pilgrim can return with — 45 kg for check-in, 10 kg in hand and 10 kg Zam Zam water.
Akbaruddin said that a delegation from India would participate in the regional workshop for orientation of the Haj pilgrims from South Asia to be held in due course. CHC Chairman Tanveer Ahmad, Consul (Haj) Anwar Haleem and Abdul Rashid Mir, executive officer, CHC, and a representative of private tour operators would participate in it.
