Indian Haj pilgrims praise Centre for quality facilities, seamless conduct of holy journey
Riyadh: Indians who embarked on Haj pilgrimage appreciated arrangements and the quality of facilities offered by the Indian government to ensure a smooth and seamless journey for all in Saudi Arabia.
"Indian pilgrims who went for Haj 2025 through the Haj Committee of India are very happy with the management of the Government of India and the facilities being provided there. It is the constant endeavour of the Ministry of Minority Affairs to ensure a comfortable and dignified journey for every Haj pilgrim," the Ministry of Minority Affairs posted on X on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Minority Affairs, George Kurian, on Friday highlighted the dedicated efforts of the Centre in ensuring a smooth and successful Haj for pilgrims.
Earlier on Friday, Indian Consul General of Jeddah, Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri, led 'Team India' deployed in Haj 2025, in facilitating the movement of pilgrims from Haram Shareef to their accommodations in Azizia (Mecca) after offering Friday prayer.
The huge rush of pilgrims coming out from Haram Shareef after offering Friday prayer required coordination among 'Team India' members to guide the pilgrims to their designated bus points and provide on-the-spot required medical care and assistance.
Medical care and assistance are being provided to the pilgrims by the mobile medical care team of the Indian Haj Mission. From dispensaries near pilgrims' accommodation to fully equipped hospitals, the Indian Haj Mission has ensured accessible medical care.
Additionally, doctors, nurses, and ambulances are made available round-the-clock for any health concerns.
On Thursday, Indian Consul General Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri reviewed the arrangements for the movement of pilgrims from Mecca and 'Mina' and their stay at 'Arafat' to perform the rituals of Haj.
Last week, India's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Suhel Khan, met pilgrims in Mecca to ensure a comfortable Haj pilgrimage for all.
"Ambassador Suhel Khan visited pilgrims from various states and enquired about their welfare and issues of concern in Mecca today. The Government of India remains committed to ensuring the comfort and safety of the Indian pilgrims and making their spiritual Haj journey hassle-free," the Embassy of India in Riyadh posted on X.
The Indian Consul General Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri earlier held a review meeting with the officials and staff deployed in temporary branch offices and dispensaries, various cells and desks set up by the Indian Haj Mission.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
24 minutes ago
- India Gazette
"Trip of a lifetime, meeting PM Modi was very special": US Second Lady Usha Vance recalls India visit and her children's experience
Washington, DC [US], June 3 (ANI): US Second Lady Usha Vance has recalled her visit to India and her children's experience in India and called the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'very special.' She said that her children put PM Modi in the grandfather category, and they love him and were hugging him when they visited his residence during their visit to India. In a conversation at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum in Washington, DC, on Monday (local time), Vance called the visit to India a 'trip of lifetime for them' and added that it was her children's first visit to India. She also spoke about visiting places in North India, including Taj Mahal and enjoying Indian food. Asked about her India visit, she said, 'It really was the trip of a lifetime for us. My children had never been to India, what with the pandemic and, JD's entry into politics and all that. And so they'd grown up just knowing so much about this country, the stories. food, the relationships with grandparents and friends, but they had never actually seen it. So it was just sort of mind-blowing from their perspective. And then for me and JD, I think it just could not have been any more special. We had the opportunity to see some of the greatest sites in North India. We're looking forward to our next trip and trying to get to the parts of the country where my family is from as well. And it just was sort of one hit after another, right. The most incredible food, the peacocks that we got to see, everywhere we went, getting to see the Taj Mahal in the morning and appreciate it as the sun was just sort of coming up and the cool skies and blue skies over in the background.' Vance recalled how her kids had met PM Modi in Paris, and he had given her five-year-old son a birthday present that day. She said PM Modi was very kind and generous to the kids, and the talks between PM Modi and US Vice President JD Vance were 'productive.' She also spoke about seeing a puppet show in India, which included bits from Ramayana. Usha Vance said, 'Meeting the Prime Minister, that was really very special. We'd actually had a chance to meet him before. And it's funny, my kids saw him. They were sort of sleep deprived in Paris and they saw an Indian man with a white beard and white hair, and they just put him in the grandfather category immediately. They are very into him. They just love him. And he really cemented his status by giving our five-year-old a birthday present that day. So, when we were able to visit his home, they just sort of ran up. They were hugging him. He was just incredibly kind and generous to them.' 'I think it was very productive conversation for JD and the Prime Minister, of course. But also, think it was a real opportunity for us to kind of cement that personal relationship that they have, which I think is only to the good. And as you mentioned, there was a puppet show. That was a particular highlight with sort of puppeteering from all over the country, including from Andhra Pradesh, where my family is from. There were bits from the Ramayana. There were sort of comedic bits with animals, and it was a huge hit. My kids have been trying to recreate a home of construction paper, which is going about as well as you can imagine,' she added. Talking about her children's individual experiences, Usha Vance shared that her eldest son, Ewan, was particularly captivated by the temple sculptures, while her middle child, Vivek, was thrilled to see elephants, camels, and peacocks. Her daughter's favorite moment was a ride in an auto-rickshaw. Talking about her children's experience in India, Vance said, 'I think JD has probably told the story at some point, but when we were at the Prime Minister's residence, our son was just so taken by everything and then taken by the entire cart of mangoes that was available for him to eat, that he announced to the Prime Minister that he thought he could maybe live there and started making his our children, they talk about it all the time actually. They've been all over the place and they've had wonderful opportunities to see the world, but this was really special to them. Ewan, our oldest, was really taken by the sculptures in the temple that he visited. He just thought it was incredible craftsmanship and of course showed things that he was very familiar with from stories and from talking with me.' 'And then, Vivek, our middle child, was very excited to meet elephants and peacocks and a camel and just any animal that he could kind of get his hands on. And then our daughter thinks she's sort of along for the ride. She really enjoyed her time in an auto rickshaw. That was maybe the highlight for her. The Secret Service was very generous and allowed us to kind of drive in an enclosed area for a few minutes. So we had lot of fun with that,' she added. JD Vance and his family were on a four-day official visit to India in April. During the visit, PM Modi Modi hosted Vice President Vance and his family at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence in New Delhi. During the visit, the children had several playful moments with the Prime Minister. From exploring the lawns to seeing the bird feeder inquisitively, the children indulged in an immersive experience at the Prime Minister's residence. While inside, PM Modi shared several lively moments with Ewan, Vivek, and little Mirabel. PM Modi presented the three children with peacock feathers. Mirabel Vance was seen enjoying a heartwarming moment with her father, holding the feather. JD Vance, accompanied by Usha Vance and their children, visited the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra. They also visited Amber Fort in Jaipur and Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in New Delhi and the Central Cottage Industries Emporium. (ANI)
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Indian tourist turn European street into Garba dance floor. Not cool, say netizens
Internet reacts Travel is meant to be an exchange of cultures, ideas, and respect. But what happens when enthusiasm crosses the fine line into entitlement? A recent viral video featuring Indian tourists turning a European street into a Garba dance floor has reignited the debate around travel etiquette and cultural sensitivity . What was meant to be a proud cultural moment for some has become a point of embarrassment for many the now widely circulated Instagram video, an Indian woman shared her excitement by asking her followers in a video if they have ever thought of playing Garba in Europe and how she can tick it off her bucket list now. The footage showed a group of 43 Gujarati-Marwari tourists in Austria approaching two local street performers and requesting they play Indian music. The musicians, visibly hesitant, reportedly warned that police action might follow. But the tourists were undeterred as they weren't ready to leave without doing after, the group broke into a full-blown Garba performance right in the middle of the street. While some onlookers appeared amused, many netizens back home cringed. The video sparked a wave of backlash online, especially from fellow netizens reacted strongly after a video of Indian tourists performing Garba on a busy Austrian street went viral. While the group appeared to enjoy themselves, many viewers criticized their behavior as disruptive and disrespectful to local culture and space. A common sentiment across responses was disappointment over the growing reputation of Indian tourists for being inconsiderate. The overwhelming reaction reflected a desire for more responsible behavior abroad, celebrating culture, yes, but in a way that respects others' space and local commenters, including some Garba lovers, called the act 'embarrassing' and distanced themselves from it. They pointed out that even in India, people don't randomly break into Garba on streets without permission, and doing so abroad seemed inappropriate and forced. Others noted that tourists travel to Europe to experience its culture, not to be surrounded by familiar music and behavior that belongs back netizens also raised concern for the street performers, or buskers, who were already performing in the area. The Garba group interrupted their act and diverted attention away from artists trying to make a living. Commenters drew analogies, saying this was akin to interrupting someone's work to indulge in personal fun.
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
"When We Were At PM Modi's Residence...": Usha Vance Recalls India Visit
Washington: US Second Lady Usha Vance has recalled her visit to India and her children's experience in India and called the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi "very special." She said that her children put PM Modi in the grandfather category, and they love him and were hugging him when they visited his residence during their visit to India. In a conversation at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum in Washington, DC, on Monday (local time), Vance called the visit to India a "trip of lifetime for them" and added that it was her children's first visit to India. She also spoke about visiting places in North India, including Taj Mahal and enjoying Indian food. Asked about her India visit, she said, "It really was the trip of a lifetime for us. My children had never been to India, what with the pandemic and, JD's entry into politics and all that. And so they'd grown up just knowing so much about this country, the stories. food, the relationships with grandparents and friends, but they had never actually seen it. So it was just sort of mind-blowing from their perspective. And then for me and JD, I think it just could not have been any more special. We had the opportunity to see some of the greatest sites in North India. We're looking forward to our next trip and trying to get to the parts of the country where my family is from as well. And it just was sort of one hit after another, right. The most incredible food, the peacocks that we got to see, everywhere we went, getting to see the Taj Mahal in the morning and appreciate it as the sun was just sort of coming up and the cool skies and blue skies over in the background." Vance recalled how her kids had met PM Modi in Paris, and he had given her five-year-old son a birthday present that day. She said PM Modi was very kind and generous to the kids, and the talks between PM Modi and US Vice President JD Vance were "productive." She also spoke about seeing a puppet show in India, which included bits from Ramayana. Usha Vance said, "Meeting the Prime Minister, that was really very special. We'd actually had a chance to meet him before. And it's funny, my kids saw him. They were sort of sleep deprived in Paris and they saw an Indian man with a white beard and white hair, and they just put him in the grandfather category immediately. They are very into him. They just love him. And he really cemented his status by giving our five-year-old a birthday present that day. So, when we were able to visit his home, they just sort of ran up. They were hugging him. He was just incredibly kind and generous to them." "I think it was very productive conversation for JD and the Prime Minister, of course. But also, think it was a real opportunity for us to kind of cement that personal relationship that they have, which I think is only to the good. And as you mentioned, there was a puppet show. That was a particular highlight with sort of puppeteering from all over the country, including from Andhra Pradesh, where my family is from. There were bits from the Ramayana. There were sort of comedic bits with animals, and it was a huge hit. My kids have been trying to recreate a home of construction paper, which is going about as well as you can imagine," she added. Talking about her children's individual experiences, Usha Vance shared that her eldest son, Ewan, was particularly captivated by the temple sculptures, while her middle child, Vivek, was thrilled to see elephants, camels, and peacocks. Her daughter's favorite moment was a ride in an auto-rickshaw. Talking about her children's experience in India, Vance said, "I think JD has probably told the story at some point, but when we were at the Prime Minister's residence, our son was just so taken by everything and then taken by the entire cart of mangoes that was available for him to eat, that he announced to the Prime Minister that he thought he could maybe live there and started making his our children, they talk about it all the time actually. They've been all over the place and they've had wonderful opportunities to see the world, but this was really special to them. Ewan, our oldest, was really taken by the sculptures in the temple that he visited. He just thought it was incredible craftsmanship and of course showed things that he was very familiar with from stories and from talking with me." "And then, Vivek, our middle child, was very excited to meet elephants and peacocks and a camel and just any animal that he could kind of get his hands on. And then our daughter thinks she's sort of along for the ride. She really enjoyed her time in an auto rickshaw. That was maybe the highlight for her. The Secret Service was very generous and allowed us to kind of drive in an enclosed area for a few minutes. So we had lot of fun with that," she added. JD Vance and his family were on a four-day official visit to India in April. During the visit, PM Modi Modi hosted Vice President Vance and his family at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence in New Delhi. During the visit, the children had several playful moments with the Prime Minister. From exploring the lawns to seeing the bird feeder inquisitively, the children indulged in an immersive experience at the Prime Minister's residence. While inside, PM Modi shared several lively moments with Ewan, Vivek, and little Mirabel. PM Modi presented the three children with peacock feathers. Mirabel Vance was seen enjoying a heartwarming moment with her father, holding the feather. JD Vance, accompanied by Usha Vance and their children, visited the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra. They also visited Amber Fort in Jaipur and Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in New Delhi and the Central Cottage Industries Emporium.
