Blankets a Hot Commodity
Friday, 29 December 2006
By Sikandar Zulqarnine
Friday, 29 December 2006
By Sikandar Zulqarnine
MAKKAH
WARM clothes and blankets were the hot commodities among pilgrims as the mercury in the barometer dropped further and chilly wind blew across the valley of Mina Thursday.
Many women pilgrims were seen in warm jackets and hand gloves. But the men covered themselves in two seamless white garments braving the cold breeze.
“For the last two days there were many customers who purchased all kinds of woolen clothes especially sweaters, woolen caps, jackets. But blankets are more in demand,” said Yakub Mohammed Osman an Afghani shopkeeper.
The cost of the blankets has skyrocketed. A Korean-made blanket weighing 8 kg is selling for SR160, and the one made in China is costing SR60. Blankets made in Spain are being sold for SR120.
“We sold hundreds of blankets within two days, we are running out of stock,” said Doost Mohammed Khan another Afghani shopkeeper.
Sayeed Esa, a 35-year-old Nigerian pilgrim, who is not used to cold weather in his country bought a blanket. He said, “The climate here is too cold. I had no other alternative but to buy the blanket. The climate in Nigeria is moderate throughout the year, except little hotter during summers.”
Hamza Kaka, a 60-year-old pilgrim from the southern Indian state of Kerala, said, “We did not anticipate the weather to be so cold here in Makkah.”
But pilgrims from the West find the weather pleasant.
“The weather is fine,” said Suleman, a pilgrim from Bolton, U.K.
“I was worried initially because I knew that Saudi Arabia is a hot country as the temperature shoots up to 50 degrees during summers,” he said.
Dawood Abdul Aziz, a pilgrim from Philadelphia, US, said, “I have come for the first time I am delighted to be here for the Haj. What a pleasant weather we have?”
