IN PICTURES: Annual Hajj pilgrimage commences in Mecca
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Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque. | (Photo: AP)Pilgrims perform Tawaf, or circumambulation, seven times counter-clockwise, around the Kaaba. | (Photo: AP)Muslim pilgrims touch the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque. | (Photo: AP)A Muslim pilgrim prays in front of the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque. | (Photo: AP)Pilgrims wear special outfits during the pilgrimage. While men wear two-piece white seamless garments, women wear loose white dresses with only the face and hands exposed. | (Photo: AP)Before changing back to regular clothing, men shave their heads or trim their hair while women cut a fingertip-length of their locks. | (Photo: AP)The next day, pilgrims gather on the hill known as Jabal al-Rahma (Mount of Mercy), where they remain until evening for prayer and to read the Koran. | (Photo: AP)
