Chapter 4 - Mina

On the road to the Mina camp. The saudi bus driver got lost and we drove around for an hour even though the place was only supposed to be 15 minutes away. The driver had a fellow with him ...

2009-07-22T00:44:17Z

Iqbal
On the road to the Mina camp. The saudi bus driver got lost and we drove around for an hour even though the place was only supposed to be 15 minutes away. The driver had a fellow with him ...

Signs to Mina.

2009-02-21T14:57:55Z

Iqbal
Signs to Mina.

Lines of tents were everywhere.

2009-02-21T14:54:56Z

Iqbal
Lines of tents were everywhere.

Pilgrims starting to come to the camps. The traffic is still light. In another day it was always jampacked.

2009-02-21T14:53:05Z

Iqbal
Pilgrims starting to come to the camps. The traffic is still light. In another day it was always jampacked.

We had a few minutes to climb the hills behind the camp. In the background is our camp and behind that is the Jamarat. The position was ideal since you could see the crowds at the Jamarat ...

2009-02-21T14:51:22Z

Iqbal
We had a few minutes to climb the hills behind the camp. In the background is our camp and behind that is the Jamarat. The position was ideal since you could see the crowds at the Jamarat ...

On the hillside with many other pilgrims. There was always an attraction to climb the hills for solitude. (Picture by Aashy)

2009-02-21T14:56:12Z

Iqbal
On the hillside with many other pilgrims. There was always an attraction to climb the hills for solitude. (Picture by Aashy)

Zeeshan on the hill. we started wearing the masks at camp that Nadeem and Arshad had brought. Without them you were caughing uncontrollably by the end of the day.

2009-02-21T14:57:10Z

Iqbal
Zeeshan on the hill. we started wearing the masks at camp that Nadeem and Arshad had brought. Without them you were caughing uncontrollably by the end of the day.

The Rajputs horsing around!

2009-02-21T14:58:17Z

Iqbal
The Rajputs horsing around!

Our abode for the next four days. Every person got a foam mattress that folded into a chair. They were butted right next to each other so space was a premium. Arshad and I were next to th ...

2009-02-21T14:52:53Z

Iqbal
Our abode for the next four days. Every person got a foam mattress that folded into a chair. They were butted right next to each other so space was a premium. Arshad and I were next to th ...

One of my more pious pictures (by Aashy Rajput)

2009-02-21T14:52:50Z

Iqbal
One of my more pious pictures (by Aashy Rajput)

Ilyas very comfortable on the bed.

2009-02-21T14:52:08Z

Iqbal
Ilyas very comfortable on the bed.

Aash reading up.

2009-06-05T18:26:44Z

Iqbal
Aash reading up.

Pictures from the Rajput camera.

2009-02-21T14:56:02Z

Iqbal
Pictures from the Rajput camera.

Our brief escape to eat Albaik Chicken. we really needed to eat something different., and it was just across the street.

2009-02-21T14:54:57Z

Iqbal
Our brief escape to eat Albaik Chicken. we really needed to eat something different., and it was just across the street.

On the road from Makkah.

2009-02-21T14:56:42Z

Iqbal
On the road from Makkah.

Iqbal's photo

2009-02-21T14:56:01Z

Chapter 4 - Mina

On the road to the Mina camp. The saudi bus driver got lost and we drove around for an hour even though the place was only supposed to be 15 minutes away. The driver had a fellow with him ...

Signs to Mina.

Lines of tents were everywhere.

Pilgrims starting to come to the camps. The traffic is still light. In another day it was always jampacked.

We had a few minutes to climb the hills behind the camp. In the background is our camp and behind that is the Jamarat. The position was ideal since you could see the crowds at the Jamarat ...

On the hillside with many other pilgrims. There was always an attraction to climb the hills for solitude. (Picture by Aashy)

Zeeshan on the hill. we started wearing the masks at camp that Nadeem and Arshad had brought. Without them you were caughing uncontrollably by the end of the day.

The Rajputs horsing around!

Our abode for the next four days. Every person got a foam mattress that folded into a chair. They were butted right next to each other so space was a premium. Arshad and I were next to th ...

One of my more pious pictures (by Aashy Rajput)

Ilyas very comfortable on the bed.

Aash reading up.

Pictures from the Rajput camera.

Our brief escape to eat Albaik Chicken. we really needed to eat something different., and it was just across the street.

On the road from Makkah.

Iqbal's photo

The Mina exit.

The Rajput family.

Pilgrims not fortunate enough to be riding in a bus.

The sea of air conditioned tents.

Iqbal's photo

The non-registered Hajis had set up temporary shelter in every square foot of the road.

Prayer time in the tent. Since every group was offering prayers separately I was able to do some photography.

Iqbal's photo

Buses unloading pilgrims.

Part of the camps. There were baloon flying around which you could sometime use for a landmark but you had to be careful which one you chose since there were many similar ones.

The cleaning crews at the jamarat before the stoning had begun.

Iqbal's photo

The jamarat with soldiers. That was the only time I saw any official people there...taken with a telephoto lens.

The Jamarat grounds looking almost deserted. In another day you could not even walk there.

Helicopters flew overhead constantly. Sometime you could see some CH-46's but mostly Bell.

Pilgrims without tents found whatever shelter they could.

Some sought the heights.

The crowd starts to thicken. The buses unloaded and then took off. You were never assigned to the same bus, so you had to make sure you got everything off when you alighted.

The Rajput brothers on the hill.

The size of the tents is obvious here by the smal people walking on the roof.

Hajis praying on the hillside.

The Jamarat in the background.

The illegal route we took to climb the hill.

The inside of the tent. There were guards at the entrances. There was a very definate division between the haves and have nots. But who was the haves and who the have nots?

Narrow alleys made it like a little village.

The hardest part of the village, the bathroom. The lines were always long, and the bathrooms were not too clean.

The inside of a bathroom. Shower, toilet, sink all rolled into one.

The food table. Everything was buffet style, all you can eat. But somehow none of us felt too hungry at Mina.

Youssef on the right talking with the other hajjis

Sometimes it was nice to get out of the tent and sit outside, although still within the camp gates.

The days were mostly spent on reading, conversing and praying.

Iqbal's photo

At the completion of the hajj, you have to get your hair cut, and very often a full shave is very symbolic of great act completed.

Iqbal's photo

Dr. Rajput holding up the Barakah sign so that everyone could stay with the group. Without that sign, it was easy to get lost. So you have to know your way around. Even with the sign, a s ...

Arshad and Ambreen waiting for the group to get together.

Iqbal's photo

Nightime was the best time to go for the stoning since there was relatively little rush. We could see the Jamarat and as soon as it was obvious that the crowds had abated, Dr. Riaz took us ...

Our pathfinder.

By this time every available food of space was being taken up by the large mass of humanity.

This was the scene under the overpass. There might be a 2 foot wide lane for people to squeeze through to walk to the jamarat but everywhere people had spread out a matt and claimed a few fe ...

Iqbal's photo

Iqbal's photo

The Malaysian tents.

They all came. It made no difference that they might be right on the street with the morning garbage behind them, they were there to speak to their Allah.

Iqbal's photo

Keeping a hold of your group is sometimes difficult. And for some of the muslim men, this was the first time they were holding their wive's hand!

Iqbal's photo

African Hajis always dressed in colorful clothes.

Decorated camels signified the camel of the Prophet Mohammed.

Iqbal's photo

Another way some groups figured on keeping track of each other was distinctive clothing like those green cothes.

Iqbal's photo

Flags from many differnt nations together...Pakistan, India and Bangadesh.

I love this picture of the Pakistani flag flying at dawn.

Iqbal's photo

After completing the tawaf, everyone gets back in the bus.

The runnel leaving Makkah.

Hajjis came in all ages.

The wheelchair pushers waiting for a ride.

Traffic

Sometimes we sat for 3-4 hours in completely deadlocked traffic. Never a sign of a traffic policeman.

Iqbal's photo