India’s Solo Women Hajjis

For the first time, Indian women can go on the Hajj pilgrimage unaccompanied by their husbands or a male relative with whom Islamic law does not permit marriage. While in Saudi Arabia, for some years now, middleaged women travelling in a small group can make the pilgrimage unaccompanied, India has only just adopted the rule change. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union minister for minority affairs, says it has led to a record number of women going on Hajj. He added that despite the end of government subsidy, more Indians have gone on Hajj this year than ever before. The government claims the Hajj funds will now be used towards the education of Muslim girls. Some, like parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi, contend the subsidy has long been unpopular among Muslims, who view it as a sop to Air India, which charges outlandish fares during Hajj season.

1,308

Indian women from 11 states went on Hajj in 2018 without a male escort for the first time. Top five states: Kerala (1,124), West Bengal (48), Uttar Pradesh (32), Tamil Nadu (28), Karnataka (24)

175,025

Indian pilgrims went on Hajj this year; 128,002, of which 47 per cent were women, went through the Hajj Committee of India. The remaining 47,023 pilgrims used private tour operators

98

Women employed by the Hajj committee to assist women pilgrims

`973 CRORE

Paid by the Hajj committee in fares to airlines this year, compared to Rs 1,030 crore in 2017, or Rs 57 crore less for over 300,000 fewer pilgrims

45

The age over which unaccompanied women can travel to Hajj in groups of at least four, according to a 2014 update of the rules in Saudi Arabia

355,604

Applications for Hajj received by the Hajj committee, of which 166,387 were women

`636.6 CRORE

Notional savings between 2012 and 2017 as the Hajj subsidy was reduced. This year it has been stopped, four years before the 2022 Supreme Court deadline for the elimination of the subsidy