Ka’aba gets new Kiswa

As part of the annual rituals being held during the hajj season, the officials concerned at the general presidency of the two holy mosques covered the holy Kaaba with a new black silk, gold and silver curtain known as kiswa (cover) on Saturday, on the 10th Dhul Hijjah every year the old Kiswa is removed, cut into small pieces and gifted to certain individuals, visiting foreign Muslim dignitaries and organisations.
This tradition takes place annually during the Hajj season.

This splendid cover is made at a special factory in Makkah Al Mukarrama.
The total cost of the kiswa amounts to SR 20 million. The cover is 658 square meters long and is made of 670 kg of pure silk. For embroidery 15 kilos of gold threads are used.

It consists of 47 pieces of cloth and each piece is 14 meters long and 101 cms broad. The kiswa is wrapped around the Kaaba and fixed to the ground with copper rings.

It is worth to mention that Viceroy of Egypt Mohammed Ali Pasha after splitting from the Turkey Empire, made making of the Kiswa the state responsibility.

The Kiswa was brought by annual caravan from Cairo. Earlier the Kiswas were plain. Only in 1340 the embroidery border tradition was introduced by the Egyptian ruler Hassan.