Raising of the Kiswa: A Tradition Ahead of Hajj Pilgrimage
In a traditional ceremony, officials in Makkah raised the lower part of the kiswa – the ornate black cloth covering the Kaaba – in preparation for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques approved the covering of the exposed part with a white cotton fabric measuring two-and-a-half meters wide and 54 meters long on all four sides.
A team of 36 specialized technical personnel, assisted by 10 cranes, carried out the intricate procedure.
The process of lifting the kiswa involves unscrewing the bottom of the cover from all sides, separating the corners, untying the bottom rope, removing it from the fixing rings, and rolling the cloth upward. Lanterns are then dismantled, white cloth is put in place, and the lanterns are reinstalled over the white cloth until the final stage is completed.
This annual ritual aims to protect the kiswa from dirt and damage as pilgrims perform the tawaf around the Kaaba.
The Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia is renowned as the largest human gathering globally, with a peak of 3.16 million participants in 2012. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi authorities initially restricted the pilgrimage to only a thousand pilgrims. However, as the situation improved, the numbers were gradually increased. Last year, nearly 1.84 million pilgrims undertook the journey, and this year’s figures are anticipated to surpass that.
Every year, on the ninth day of the Islamic month of Dul Hijjah, the black silk cloth is replaced with a new kiswa, continuing the sacred tradition.