Tens of thousands of cleaning, security, health care and other employees are required to make the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj, possible for 1.8 million faithful Muslims from around the world. At the conclusion of the pilgrimage on Friday, the workers will begin a week of cleaning tasks.
For the workers, who are migrants, it is a much-needed source of income. But this year the task was particularly arduous, with temperatures hovering around 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) for the five days of the pilgrimage, which takes place outdoors with little to no shade.
“This job is not easy,” said a 26-year-old garbage collector, who went to wash his face before rushing back to his post as a new wave of pilgrims approached. “It’s really hot”.
He was one of six Bangladeshi janitors who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. They say they are paid around 600 riyals ($160) per month. During the Hajj they work 12-hour shifts with no days off before returning to their jobs in other parts of the kingdom.
The pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj, is one of the five pillars of Islam, and every Muslim must do it at least once in their lifetime, if their circumstances allow it. This was the first time in three years that it was held without restrictions due to the coronavirus.
On Friday the Hajj concludes with a final march around the Kaaba cubic construction, after which the pilgrims leave the holy city. Men usually shave their heads after the ritual stoning of the pillars that represent the devil, and women cut off a lock of hair as a sign of renewal.
Pilgrims say that it is worth it despite the heat. For many Muslims it is the most important event in their spiritual life, a journey that cleanses them of sin and brings them closer to God. Some save for years while they wait for permission to go.
The Hajj is both a source of pride and legitimacy for the Saudi royal family, custodian of Islam’s holiest sites. It invests billions of dollars in organizing this annual religious congregation, one of the largest in the world.
For the cleaning staff, it’s a job, and this year it was particularly hard.
The sun beat down on open spaces and roads, its blinding light reflecting off the white marble of sacred monuments. Some days there was barely a breeze, while on others a burning wind whipped up gusts of sand. Cell phones would overheat and shut down in a matter of minutes.
The Saudi Ministry of Health reported that more than 8,400 pilgrims were treated for exhaustion or heat stroke, and almost half of them ended up in hospital.
FUENTE: Associated Press
