Reported by Bit Irom
Imphal: A total of 379 Haj pilgrims from Manipur are undertaking the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the 2026 Haj season (1447 H), with departures beginning from Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal.
In the first batch, 173 pilgrims departed from Imphal on April 29, 2026, for Kolkata en route to the holy city.
Chief Minister of Manipur, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, on Thursday extended his best wishes to the Haj pilgrims from the state, particularly from the Meitei Pangal community, who departed Imphal for Kolkata for their onward journey to Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
While extending his heartfelt wishes, Khemchand said, “I pray to the Almighty that they reach their destination safe and sound and remain free from any illness during the journey.” He also added, “During this difficult time, when unwanted incidents have occurred in Manipur, the pilgrims should offer prayers to the Almighty and seek His blessings in our collective endeavour to establish a peaceful Manipur.”
Yumnam Khemchand made these remarks while seeing off the pilgrims at Imphal International Airport.
Notably, a total of 379 people have been selected for the Haj pilgrimage from the state under the Manipur State Haj Committee this year.
It may also be mentioned that 172 pilgrims had already left for Kolkata on Wednesday, and 207 pilgrims departed on Thursday.
The send-off programme, organised by the Directorate of Minority Affairs, was attended by Tourism Minister Khuraijam Loken Singh, MLAs Kongkham Robindro Singh and Sheikh Noorul Hassan, former MLA Y. Antas Khan, and the Director of Imphal International Airport, Shri Chipemmi Keishing, among others.
This year’s pilgrimage has raised hopes for peaceful travel, with local organisations calling for special prayers for peace and normalcy in Manipur during the Haj.
Comparison with previous year (2025): A total of 459 pilgrims (257 males and 202 females) from Manipur undertook the pilgrimage.
Muslims (Meitei Pangals) began settling in Manipur during the early 17th century, around 1606 AD, during the reign of King Khagemba. These early settlers were mainly soldiers and traders from regions such as Sylhet (now Bangladesh), who were later integrated into local society through marriage with Meitei women.
Their population is estimated at around 2.5 lakh as of 2025.