HYDERABAD: Syed Abdul Rasheed stood in the crowded hall of Hajj House on Monday afternoon, his hands shaking as he tried to speak. Every few moments he stopped, as if searching for breath.
His wife, his elder daughter and 16 other close relatives had been on the bus that crashed in Saudi Arabia earlier in the day. Nine of them were children. He kept repeating their names under his breath, as though saying them might keep their memories close.
Abdul Rasheed said he had spoken to them only the previous night. They had sounded relaxed and ready to leave for the next part of their pilgrimage.
“Around 4 am, a call woke me up with the news. I am unable to think of anything else since,” he said, his voice trembling.
He has been asking officials for permission to travel to Saudi Arabia, hoping he can stand near the place where they spent their final moments. An unidentified person, perhaps a relative, tried to console Abdul Rasheed, telling him that only the very fortunate die and are laid to rest in the holy city of Madinah.
At Hajj House in Nampally, relatives gathered in scattered groups. Some held photographs. Others clutched passport copies or prayer beads. The room filled with quiet sobs, long silences and questions no one knew how to answer.
Many had been moving between the travel agency’s office and Hajj House throughout the day, searching for clarity on the identification of bodies and procedures that might follow.
One relative, too distraught to share his name, said only the eldest son of that side of the family is alive. He lives in the United States. “He wanted to go with them,” he said.
“He stayed back because he could not obtain a ticket. His wife and two children travelled. None of them returned.” All eighteen had booked their journey through Baab Ul Harmain agency.
Another family member, Mohd Tahseen, said Shoaib, who had been travelling with seven members of his in-laws’ relatives, was the first to inform them about the accident. Shoaib survived after jumping out of the bus along with the driver moments after the crash.
Each person had paid nearly Rs 1 lakh for the pilgrimage. “The travel office told us they would make arrangements,” Tahseen said, still unsure what those arrangements might involve. The family had begun their journey on November 9. They spent a week in Makkah before leaving for Madinah. What was meant to be a shared act of faith for three generations ended in grief for those who waited at home.
