MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) – As hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims walked in the footsteps of the prophets in the scorching sun, cleaning workers in bright green overalls held up matching plastic bags to collect their empty water bottles.
Tens of thousands of cleaners, security guards, paramedics and others are needed to make the annual Hajj pilgrimage possible for 1.8 million worshipers from around the world. When Hajj ends on Friday, workers will begin a massive week-long cleanup.
It is a much-needed source of income for the cleaners who are migrant workers. But this year has been particularly trying, as temperatures regularly hovered in the 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) during the five-day pilgrimage, which took place mostly outdoors with little or no shade.
“This work is not easy,” said a 26-year-old garbage collector, as he paused to splash water on his face before rushing back to his position as another wave of pilgrims approached. “The heat is too great.”
He was among six cleaners, all Bangladeshi, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition that they remain anonymous for fear of reprisals. They said they were paid 600 Saudi riyals (about US$160) a month. They work 12-hour shifts for a few weeks around Hajj, with no days off, before returning to other cleaning jobs around the kingdom.
The Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam and all Muslims are obligated to undertake it at least once in their lifetime if they are able to do so. It was the first time in three years that it took place without corona restrictions.
The Hajj ends on Friday when pilgrims circumambulate the cube-shaped Kaaba one last time and then exit the holy city. Men often shave their heads after completing the ritual stoning of the Devil’s Pillars, and women cut off a strand of hair as a sign of renewal.
Pilgrims insisted that despite the heat, the journey was worth it. For many Muslims, it is the pinnacle of their spiritual life, a journey that removes sin and brings them closer to God. Some spend years saving money and waiting for approval to go.
The Hajj is also a great source of pride and legitimacy for the Saudi royal family, who act as guardians of Islam’s holiest sites and invest billions of dollars in organizing the annual pilgrimage, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.
It’s a job for the cleaners too, and this year it’s been a particularly tough job.
The sun beat down on the open squares and streets, reflecting a blinding light on the white marble of the holy places. On some days there was hardly a breeze, on others a hot wind whipped up gusts of sand. Mobile phones overheated and broke within minutes.
According to the Saudi Ministry of Health, more than 8,400 pilgrims have been treated for heat exhaustion or heat stroke, with almost half of them being hospitalized.
Mehwish Batool, a 29-year-old from Pakistan on his first pilgrimage, said he had to use a spray bottle to keep from getting dizzy and that the only shadow he could find was often from the peaked cap he was wearing wore.
“There’s nothing here, there’s just the sun directly overhead,” he said. “I love the experience but the worst part is the heat. And there is nothing that can protect us.”
In some places, the Saudi authorities have set up canopies and industrial sprayers. Pilgrims carried umbrellas and spray bottles, doused themselves with water, and gratefully accepted the free drinks that were distributed along the paths between the holy sites.
Then they threw the bottles into the workers’ sacks or on the ground for later collection.
Usama Zaytoun, a spokesman for the Makkah municipality, said a total of 14,000 workers were hired by private companies to clean up during and after the hajj. He declined to comment on their salaries or working conditions, but said there had been no reports of health problems among workers this year.
He said that cleaning up after the pilgrimage takes about a week. City workers collect the waste, stuff it into 1,200 industrial presses before sending it on for processing. They spray the roads, campsites, and bridges in and around Mecca with disinfectants and pesticides that Zaytoun says are designed to protect the environment and prevent the spread of disease.
Your efforts do not go unnoticed. Sheikh Dawood, a 40-year-old first-time pilgrim from India, was one of several pilgrims who donated money to workers in honor of Eid al-Adha, a charity holiday that coincided with the last three days of the Hajj. Other pilgrims offered the cleaners water or a refreshing spray from their hand-held atomizers.
“You’re doing a great job,” Dawood said. “Your service is excellent. We can’t say it with words. So there should be support for them.” He said that if they worked in the heat, they would be even more blessed of God.
“I think everyone is very grateful to them,” he added.