AGARTALA, August 28 (TIWN): Minority Development Minister Shahid Choudhury on Friday felicitated all the 93 Muslims who have begun their journey to Mecca for Hajj, Islam’s annual pilgrimage.

Muslims strive to deepen their connection with God and strengthen their faith through the rigorous Hajj rituals.

Among the 93 Muslims, 73 are male and 20 are female. Two officials namely Abdul Matin and Abdul Barik Choudhury and two members of State Hajj Committee, Abdul Kalam and Fazrul Rehman also joined the journey to Mecca for Hajj.

It has been mentioned that on August 30 all the people will reach Madina and spending 45 days over there they will return to the state by October 13.

Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, and a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their life time by all adult Muslims if possible.

It is one of the five pillars of Islam, alongside Shahadah, Salat, Zakat and Sawm. However, the gather during the Hajj is considered the largest annual gathering of people in the world.