This year’s Hajj was held in sweltering heat, and for those serving pilgrims there was little relief
Associated PressMINA, Saudi Arabia — As hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims walked in the footsteps of the prophets beneath a sweltering sun, contracted cleaners in lime-green jumpsuits held out matching plastic bags to collect their empty water bottles. It takes tens of thousands of cleaners, security personnel, medics and others to make the annual Hajj pilgrimage possible for 1.8 million faithful from around the world. “This job is not easy,” said a 26-year-old trash collector as he took a quick break to splash water on his face before rushing back to his position as another wave of pilgrims approached. Sheikh Dawood, a 40-year-old first-time pilgrim from India, was one of several pilgrims who could be seen giving money to the workers in honor of Eid al-Adha, a charity-focused holiday coinciding with the last three days of the Hajj.