KATHMANDU: A team of Nepali Muslims leaving for Mecca in Saudi Arabia as part of Hajj journey was seen off today.

Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel saw off the team making a pilgrimage to Mecca – the holy city for Muslims – for Hajj celebrations this morning.

The team has left for the Islam's holiest shrine according to the tradition of Muslim community under the leadership of Central Hajj Committee. The team is comprised of 129 Muslims from 13 districts.

Nepal Muslim Association Vice President Haji Raffik Miya was quoted in Rastriya Samachar Samiti as saying, "The completion of the pilgrimage to Mecca ward off deadly sins."

Hajj is the religious journey to Mecca that all Muslims try to make at least once in their lives. It is celebrated for 43 days.

Hajj is one of the five duties (hajj, salat, sawm, shahada, zakat) that every Muslim is expected to do.