New Delhi, May 26 -- Both Hajj and the much awaited festival of Eid-ul-Adha (also known as Bakra Eid, Bakrid, Bakhreid, Eid-ul-Zuha, Eid al-Adha, Eid Qurban, Qurban Bayarami or the Feast of Sacrifice) are marked during Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar, when the spiritual heart of the Muslim world beats in unison. The Hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, is about to begin, calling millions of believers to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia for a journey that transcends distance, language and background.

Every year, Muslims from across the globe gather to perform Hajj, an obligation for every financially and physically able believer, at least once in a lifetime. The pilgrimage is more than ...