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The free check-in baggage allowed to each Indian pilgrim is 45 kgs and 10 kgs of hand baggage.
It is imperative that the State Haj Committees ensure the
luggage should have proper identification marks – name, address
and the pilgrim pass number of the pilgrim. If possible,
different colour coding for different cities and districts
within a state could be introduced. This would facilitate easy
tracing and delivery by the Lost Baggage Section in case it gets
misplaced in transit.
Pilgrims should be discouraged from carrying cooking oil,
kerosene, flour, perishable items or potatoes or onions or other
stuff that is objected to by the Saudi customs authorities. All
food stuffs are readily available at affordable prices and need
not be carried from India.
If medicines
for personal use are being brought, the doctor's prescription in
original should be brought along with them, otherwise the
medicines will be confiscated. The baggage should not contain
anything prohibited or objectionable under Saudi law such as
drugs, alcoholic drinks or even any alcoholic preparation and
intoxicants. Even carrying of poppy seeds or Khash
Khash is not allowed. It should be noted that
drug peddling is considered a very serious crime in the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia and is punishable by death. Pilgrims
should, therefore, be discouraged to carry packages handed over
by unknown or unauthorized persons during embarkation in India.
A pilgrim will be personally held responsible for anything
objectionable in the package. It may be remembered that even
magazines, photographs, books and religious literature as also
audio and video cassettes can be confiscated at the customs.
Ensure that photocopies of pilgrim pass, Meningitis
inoculation certificate, ticket and other necessary documents
like doctor's prescription are kept in a separate folder in
luggage. The original pilgrim pass, Meningitis vaccination
certificate, and other essential papers should be carried in the
hand baggage and this hand baggage should also be properly
marked for identification. The hand baggage should never be left
out of sight.
Only necessary items like pyjamas, kurtas, shirts, lungis,
underwears, slippers, shoes, caps, sweaters, blankets, toilet
mug {lota}, water bottle, soap, toothpaste toothbrush,
comb, socks, handkerchief and such items should be carried.
Remember that Haj-1426 will fall in January. This is a cold
month and hence pilgrims would need to have a sweater and
blanket. Rooms in Makkah and Madinah and the tents in Mina are
all air-conditioned and hence pilgrims may feel cold, especially
during the night. There are no heating arrangements at any of
these places.
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