A new robe, black cloth cover embellished with gold, was installed at the holy Kaaba in Makkah on the first day of the Islamic new year. A new Kiswa or robe was installed at the holy Kaaba in Makkah on the 1st day of the Islamic new year (1 Muharram, 1446h). The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque implemented the installation, which was made by a team of 159 skilled artists from the King Abdulaziz Complex for the robe of the Kaaba, a holy place of Muslims. The team cleared away the old Kiswa and installed the new one, which is made of black cloth embellished with gold.
The Kiswa is a particular symbol of the Kaaba’s significance and is replaced once a year. It weighs 1,350 kilograms and has a length of 14 meters high, consisting of 4 separate sides and a door curtain. The installation process is complicated, requiring 200 skilled artists and craftsmen to complete in a few hours.
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The formation of the Kiswa needs 120 kilograms of gold, 100 kilograms of silver, and 1,000 kilograms of silk. Each gold-embellished piece takes between 60 and 120 days to complete by crafters. The Kiswa contains fifty-three gold-embroidered pieces, including 16 for the belt area, 7 for under the belt, 4 corner pieces, seventeen lanterns, 5 pieces for the door curtain, one piece for Al-Rukn Al-Yamani, and 2 pieces for the Black Stone outline, along with the gutter.
The implementation of the new robe highlights the beginning of the Islamic new year and is a significant shift in the Islamic calendar. The tradition was last done during the Hajj season but was changed to the eve of Muharram 1 last year based on a royal decision. The new Kiswa will remain in place for the next year, until the next installation ceremony of Kiswa.
By Arab news
