Jakarta. For most Indonesian Muslims, the Hajj pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime aspiration. Despite the high cost and long wait times, stories of perseverance abound.

For 96-year-old Irah, a fried snack vendor from a small West Java village, the path to Mecca was paved with decades of faith and sacrifice, one fritter at a time. This year, she became the oldest hajj pilgrim from Cianjur in West Java, finally fulfilling a dream delayed by the pandemic.

Irah, who will travel alongside her 93-year-old sister in-law, Odah, had her original 2019 hajj plans disrupted by COVID-19. But despite her age, medical evaluations cleared her for the journey. “She’s 95 percent healthy,” said her grandson, Suhendar Al Asnawi.

A lifelong food seller, Irah still fries and sells snacks once a week at local prayer gatherings. Her hajj fund came from decades of saving and selling her family's land. “From selling fritters, she saved little by little. When it wasn’t enough, she sold a plot of land,” Suhendar said.

The 2025 regular Hajj package costs Rp 89.4 million ($5,400), of which pilgrims pay about Rp 55.43 million. The Indonesian government subsidizes the remainder. With such costs, the Hajj remains out of reach for many without years of saving and sacrifice.

Beyond the financial hurdle, Indonesia's Hajj pilgrims also face a long waiting list. Nationally, the estimated waiting time for regular Hajj ranges from 11 to 47 years, depending on the applicant's domicile. Provinces with high demand, such as West Java and South Sulawesi, tend to have the longest wait times.

But Irah is not alone in her journey. In Ternate, North Maluku, 80-year-old street sweeper Nursadek Musa will also embark on the pilgrimage this year after nearly three decades of laborious work and saving. Known locally for her humble job, Nursadek began sweeping streets in 1996, often setting aside as little as Rp 100,000 per month.

“I stopped working recently due to age, but I’m grateful to finally go,” she said from the Ternate Hajj transit center. Her son, Jalil Usman, recalled being taken along when she collected her wages.

In contrast, 19-year-old Aryo Nugroho Sumardi from Bangka Barat is among the youngest Indonesians making the pilgrimage this year. He replaced his late mother, who passed away in 2020. Though originally scheduled to travel in 2023, pandemic delays pushed his departure to 2025. “It’s a blessing to go at my age. I hope to be a hajj who brings benefit to others,” Aryo said.

Even celebrities have their own stories. TV presenter Ruben Onsu, a recent convert to Islam, is reportedly set to perform hajj this year. His friend Ivan Gunawan confirmed Ruben’s excitement: “He’s so eager, already planning our hotel spots in Mecca,” Ivan said. Although they’ll travel separately, both are focused on their spiritual journey. “We each have our own path,” Ivan added.

This year, Indonesia has been allocated a Hajj quota of 221,000 pilgrims by the Saudi government. The first wave of Indonesian pilgrims departed earlier this month, marking the beginning of the 2025 Hajj season.