Starting last year, the tradition of changing the covering of the Holy Kaaba in Makkah, known as the Kiswah or Ghilaf-e-Kaaba, has been moved to the first day of Muharram, which marks the beginning of the new Islamic year. Previously, the change used to happen on the 9th of Zul Hijjah, the Day of Arafat.
The Kiswah factory, responsible for producing the Kaaba cover, has shared some details about the materials used and the training provided. The new Kiswah is made using 670 kg of silk, and intricate embellishments on it are created with approximately 120 kg of gold and 100 kg of silver. Additionally, 15 individuals have received technical training to carry out the process of changing the Kaaba cover.
This change in timing was made to ensure that more people can witness the event, as it now takes place on the first day of the Islamic year instead of the Day of Arafat when the number of visitors to the Masjid al-Haram is usually lower.
