TEHRAN – More than 2,500 pilgrims who arrived on foot entered Mashhad on Sunday to celebrate the martyrdom anniversary of Hazrat Fatemeh Zahra (SA), daughter of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Local authorities estimate that the number of pilgrims entering the holy site on foot could reach 4,000.
Hossein Rezaei, spokesperson for the Imam Reza Service Association (AS) Foot Pilgrims Association, told Miras Alia (CHTN) that a total of 2,565 pilgrims from the country and Iraq entered Mashhad on foot at noon on Sunday, about 800 of them foreign pilgrims from the cities of Najaf and Karbala. These caravans are expected to enter Mashhad in different groups and most of them will stay at the Rabat Hakestari caravanserai, located 17 kilometers south of Mashhad, he added.
Fortunately, there were no incidents or special problems with the caravan en route, and the movement of pilgrims continued in a safe and orderly manner, he said.
On Sunday night, coinciding with the night of Hazrat Fatem-e-Zahra’s (SA) martyrdom, the number of pilgrims entering Mashhad was expected to reach 4,000, with continued arrival of pilgrims on foot from Kuchan Old Road and Farimman Road.
Regarding the cities of origin of the pilgrims, Rezaei said that most of the caravans came from cities in Khorasan Razavi province.
“Caravans were also heading towards Mashhad from cities in the eastern part of the country such as Birjand, Neybandan and Kahen, as well as cities such as Neyshabur and surrounding areas. In the coming days, caravans are expected to meet up from the old road in Kuchan.”
Regarding the services provided to these caravans, he said that 25 dedicated food and accommodation stations are in operation on the route to Mashhad and Khorasan Razavi provinces, and with the announcement of the arrival times of the caravans, the services of these stations will be fully provided.
He noted that walking pilgrims benefit from a variety of services, including accommodation, overnight rest, bathing, and votive meals, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The spokesperson continued that medical services are also provided at the station. Two ambulances are also on standby along the route to transport pilgrims to medical centers in case anything goes wrong.
KD