Mumbai to Mecca

By Ilija Trojanow

'From the first very first moment they realize that the Hajj - the pilgrimage to Mecca - is among the duties of each and every Muslim - the faithful long to go.' This is how it was for Ilija Trojanow, when he donned the ihram, the two white wraps of light terry cloth, the traditional garb of the pilgrim, and boarded a plane in Mumbai to fly to Jeddah. He joined hundreds of thousands of Muslims, who each year go on the Hajj. In the three short weeks of his spiritual journey he witnessed a tradition dating back over one thousand years. This experience, though shared by many millions, is a very personal one and his account of it is moving and enlightening. It makes the Hajj accessible to non-Muslims, barred from the holy sites of Islam, and thereby is a valuable contribution to inter-cultural understanding and inter-faith dialogue.  

In 2003 Ilija Trojanow travelled from Mumbai to Mecca: His traveloguedescribes the Hajj, the pilgrimage to the holy sites of Islam, throughthe eyes of a Westener, but with the heart of a Muslim.

'The Berliner Literaturpreis 2007 is awarded to Ilija Trojanow, the German author of Bulgarian origin, for his narrative work, which is devoted to a cosmopolitan attitude and which has as its theme the multiple interaction between the cultures of West and East as first seen in his debut novel 'The World Is Vast And Everywhere Salvation Lies In Wait'. His clear, metaphor-rich and poetically dense language explores new narrative forms on the border between the prose of a novel and travel reportage.
Similar to the protagonist of his most recent novel, the explorer and  travel writer Sir Richard Burton, Trojanow is himself a 'Collector of Worlds', whose submersion into other cultural spheres and religious worlds never lacks openess, curiosity and respect and describes them from a double perspective - from the outside as well as from within.'

Jury of the Berliner Literaturpreis

 ‘Trojanow portrays a magnificent journey defined by contrasts... Non-believers are still banned from Islam’s Holiest city: this short book may be the best substitute for going there.’

FINANCIAL TIMES Magazine

Ilia Trojanov was born in Bulgaria in 1965. After fleeing his homeland via Yugoslavia and Italy, he was granted political asylum in Germany. He is a writer, who sees himself as traveller between the worlds, journeying on a quest that leads him through different cultures and religions. He is also the author of Along the Ganges (Haus Publishing 2005)