Today, a group of Turkmen pilgrims have departed for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, having taken a flight specially arranged by Turkmenhovayollary State National Service. 160 representatives from all the regions and the capital will make a Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina during Kurban Bairamy Festival to carry out the sacred rites together with millions of pilgrims, who travel there from all over the world. In Medina, the pilgrims will visit the tombs of Prophet Muhammad and his companions, the famous mosques and other holy sites. In Mecca, they will perform the Hajj rituals, and will visit the most sacred and holiest places for the Muslim world, such as the Zamzam Well, the Great Mosque of Mecca (Masjid al-Haram) to walk around the Holy Kaaba – the Black Stone, and others, as part of the solemn togap ritual. Yesterday, Ashgabat hosted a meeting attended by members of the clergy, pilgrims, and representatives of some agencies to discuss a number of organizational issues of the upcoming pilgrimage.