Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, goat markets bloom with buyers
Lucknow: With Eid-ul-Azha on Saturday, the goat markets in the city are bustling with activities, with Muslims making a beeline to select a goat or two for the sacrifice, an obligatory ritual for those who can afford one.
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In Lucknow, the Bakra Mandis have come up at Joggers Park, Dubagga, Nimbu Park, Herding Bridge (Pakka Pul), Khurramnagar, and Moulviganj.
Of these, Dubagga market has established itself as a prominent destination, offering an extensive collection of sacrificial goats up for grabs.
This marketplace attracts buyers and traders from nearby districts and states including Jhansi, Kanpur, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
The goats are priced between Rs 10,000 and Rs 5 lakh, with social media attention contributing to increased footfall of prospective buyers and visitors.
The market offers various breeds including Jamunapari, Barbari, Beetal, Black Bengal, Sirohi, South African Boer and Sheep (Dumba). Traders have named their prized goats Shera, Sikandar, Shahrukh, Haider, and Tiger. The market demonstrates robust demand as buyers select animals based on religious considerations and financial capacity.
"People are looking for healthy, good-looking goats with unique features. Some prefer traditional local breeds, while others go for decorative and exotic varieties," said Shoib, a seller at the Dubagga mandi.
Yusuf Anwar, another seller in the city, said, "We kept goats for the last four years, which are now available for sale. We feed them the best of the available food, including green veggies, special husk of different grains, fruits, etc.
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We have to make arrangements of foggers and coolers for these goats to beat the heat."
The temporary market near Pukka Pul has also emerged as a prominent destination to buy the goats for the ritual, a first market to offer goats.
Rakesh Verma, a trader from Sitapur, noted, "The market here is within our reach, and the buyers are more in this market as it is in the centre of the city."
Meanwhile, the Islamic Centre of India (ICI) has released guidelines regarding qurbani, advising against photographing or sharing sacrifice-related content on social media platforms. Maulana Khalid Rasheed said, "The sacrifice of the animal is absolutely personal and for the Almighty. Posting pictures related to the sacrifice is prohibited. Meanwhile, proper sanitation and hygiene should be followed during the sacrifice and after.
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