Eid al-Adha sends prices of goats skyrocketing
sacrificial goats
Certain breeds are being sold for Rs.40,000 to Rs.90,000, while in some cases, prices of goats weighing over 105 kg have crossed `1 lakh, depending on size and breedAs Muslims across the city come together to celebrate Bakri Eid today, the spirit of devotion, sacrifice, and community is accompanied this year by a sharp rise in the price of, a central element of the festival. Bakri Eid, also known as Eid al-Adha, is one of the most important Islamic festivals. It commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God, before God replaced the son with a ram. To honour this, Muslims around the world perform the act of Qurbani (sacrifice), usually of a goat, sheep, or any other halal animal, and distribute the meat amongst family, friends, and the less fortunate.In Bengaluru, the festive buzz is high in areas like Shivajinagar, Tannery Road, Chamrajpet, Wilson Garden, and BTM Layout, where markets have been packed over the last few days. However, this year, the focus is not just on celebration, it's also on the prices. Prices of goats have skyrocketed, with some breeds like the Ameen Gadh, Bannur, Kirgawal, and Dumba being sold for Rs 40,000 to Rs 90,000. In some cases, prices of goats weighing over 105 kg have crossed Rs 1 lakh, depending on their size and breed.'Compared to last year, we've seen a much larger crowd and higher sales this time. More people turned up, bought goats, and the overall demand has definitely gone up,' said a seller. The seller said that well-fed, muscular breeds like Ameen Gadh, Bannur, Kirgawal, Dumba, and Chelna have attracted the most buyers, with some even opting for exotic imported goats, adding that bigger and healthier goats garner higher market demand.Several makeshift goat markets, or 'santes', popped up in areas like Kolar and Tumakuru over the past week, drawing large crowds. Many came not just to buy, but to watch the lively bartering, admire prized goats, and even place informal bets on goat weights and looks, a quirky but growing trend in local markets.Despite soaring prices, the spirit of Bakri Eid remains undeterred. Large crowds are expected to gather for early morning prayers at major mosques and areas like BG Road near Gurappanapalya, Millers Road (old Haj camp), Chamrajpet and BB Junction, after which families will return home to perform the Qurbani and share festive meals.To ensure smooth celebrations, the city's traffic police have issued advisories and designated alternative routes, anticipating heavy footfall around mosques and market areas.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
From concrete to canopy: How Noida's Biodiversity Park turned a bird paradise
Noida: The whistling call of a rain quail pierces through the urban cacophony of Sector 91. It's an unlikely sound in this concrete jungle, but one that's becoming increasingly familiar with visitors of the Noida Biodiversity Park, which has emerged as the city's newest hub for bird enthusiasts. "I thought I was imagining it. The rain quail is mostly found in the grasslands. Hearing it here in the middle of high-rises was a pleasant surprise," recalls Afshan Hussain, describing her first encounter with the elusive bird during an evening walk in 2020. Over the past few years, the park has transformed from a simple recreational space to a thriving observation point for winged guests from across borders. Apart from the rain quail, Afshan has spotted several uncommon birds, such as the thick-billed flowerpecker and paradise flycatcher. "The grey-bellied cuckoo is not uncommon in this region, but it is very difficult to find it in the city area. This speaks much about how the habitat has changed. People usually go birding in Dhanauri, Surajpur, or Okhla. But some of us have started visiting this Sector 91 park regularly," she says. Developed by Noida Authority for Rs 37 crore and inaugurated in July 2019, this 110-acre park is the result of meticulous ecological planning. Nestled between the high-rises of Sector 137 and the residential lanes of Sector 93, it offers 70 acres of developed area with cycling tracks, walking trails, gazebos, and a water body. The park's unique feature, however, lies in its scientific design. There are four distinct biomes based on Yamuna floodplain's geology — Kohi (hilly terrain), Bangar (alluvial uplands), Khadar (sandy riverine areas), and Dabar (low-lying floodplains). More than 200 native species of trees, including babool, neem, jamun, wild grasses, and medicinal herbs, have replaced the previous eucalyptus monoculture, creating a haven that now hosts at least 150 varieties of bird. For longtime residents like Afshan, who has lived in nearby Parasnath Srishti for over 15 years, the transformation has been nothing short of remarkable. "Before this park, it was mostly quiet. After the native species were introduced, flora and fauna started to flourish. And the birds followed," she says. Despite established sanctuaries like Okhla and Dhanauri wetlands, the Sector 91 park has carved its own niche. Nisha Rai, a Sector 77 resident, discovered it during a cycling expedition in 2021. "Seeing a peacock casually walking near the forest edge was unexpected in Noida," she says, noting the diverse wildlife from eagles to butterflies. The park has also attracted wildlife observers. Ashir Kumar, a professional photographer from Greater Noida, leads nature walks here, including a recent WWF 'City Nature Challenge'. "Even though it's partially curated, dense patches still harbour thriving wildlife here," he says. Community engagement has flourished too. Bidisha Dutta, a publishing professional, has organised nature walks for children. "The park's layout allows for quiet nature pockets away from the main paths — perfect for educational activities. The kids hunt for their favourite colours, build shapes with twigs and leaves, and experience the ecosystems up close," she tells TOI. Bidisha and her husband hosted 20 Bengali families during a picnic last winter. Challenges, however, persist. The central water body is in dire need of maintenance, while excessive manicuring of certain areas has alarmed birders as well. Tapas Misra, a lawyer and birder, observes, "There are two faces to this park — untouched wilderness and landscaped areas. While it's perfect for beginners, it lacks the ecological balance of a sanctuary." Similarly, Eldeco Utopia resident Tripti Upadhyaya, who has spotted Indian paradise flycatchers, orange-headed thrushes, and taiga flycatchers, rues that the waterbody is often filled with muck and needs to be cleaned regularly. "Excessive pruning is an issue as well. Worms come to tall grass, and birds come for the worms. The more manicured a park is, the less welcoming it is for wildlife," she says. Asked about the upkeep, Anand Mohan, director of horticulture at Noida Authority, says, "We carry out regular maintenance work at the park. All washrooms were revamped recently. Yes, the water level at the pond goes low during summers, but we will make some arrangements using motorised pumps." Despite these concerns, the Sector 91 facility continues to evolve, with plans for a deer park in the pipeline.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
‘Save Powai Lake' human chain plan off over BMC fee
Mumbai: A silent "Save Powai Lake" human chain scheduled for Sunday by local residents and nature lovers was cancelled after the BMC demanded a nominal "event fee" of Rs 11,000 to organise it at the lakeside. Green activists alleged they tried in vain to explain to civic officials that this was not an event but a public expression of concern to save the lake from pollution and floating weeds such as hyacinths. The human chain was planned for Sunday, June 8, to focus on the need to conserve Powai Lake as part of Mumbai region's biodiversity, said the activists. "For about a week the BMC was making us go round in circles for a simple no-objection certificate for the human chain after we obtained the police nod," said Pamela Cheema, chairperson of the advanced locality management committee (ALMC). Police suggested that the organisers seek the BMC's approval as well. Cheema said, "Despite the police forwarding them our request and we ourselves presenting the BMC's S ward office our request, the officials were searching for the documents till Friday." The BMC insisted on payment of "a nominal fee of Rs 11,000" for using the Powai Lake premises, she said. BMC's sub-engineer from S ward, Veer Alankar, said he sent the circular and the fee payable to Cheema since it is an event. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "We are not holding a concert or any cultural event," Cheema said. Calling the BMC event fee for the human chain as unprecedented, NatConnect director B N Kumar said, "It amounts to scuttling the democratic rights of environmentalists to freedom of speech. The Constitution of India guarantees the right to a clean environment." Kumar further said they will regroup and discuss the future course to save the lake. In the past two weeks, though, following the local citizens' appeal to save the lake, the BMC has started mechanically removing the water hyacinths from the lake's surface. The process is still on at the lake site by using machines to cut and remove the hyacinths. Local resident and photographer Mukesh Trivedi said, "Perhaps the senior civic officials could have waived off the 'event fee' because none of us were going to form the human chain for any commercial gain." "As much as we have passionately worked towards this cause, we are being forced to not go ahead with it due to bureaucratic hurdles," said Milan Bhat, one of the organisers. "It has been a sad day for our environment, but we haven't lost hope. We will come back stronger," she said.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Bakrid celebrated with religious fervour, gaiety in city
Patna: Muslims across the city gathered on Saturday at various mosques and Eidgah in the morning, including Gandhi Maidan, to offer 'namaz' (prayers) on Eid-ul-Adha (Bakrid). The mornings were filled with spiritual devotion. People hugged each other and exchanged warm greetings after offering namaz at Gandhi Maidan. After the prayers, families engaged themselves in offering 'qurbani' (sacrifice), an important ritual of this festival where specially goats are sacrificed and distributed among friends, relatives and the poor. Adding to the festive spirit, governor Arif Mohammad Khan extended his warm wishes to the people through social media on the auspicious occasion. "This festival is of unparalleled devotion and sacrifice inspires us to embody the spirit of mutual love, harmony and brotherhood in our lives. Let us take this opportunity to strengthen social cohesion and national unity, and resolve to build a just and inclusive society", he posted. "This occasion has a spiritual significance for us," said Madiha Hassan, a resident of Bakarganj near Gandhi Maidan. "We kept 'roza' before offering 'namaz'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Descubre cómo Amazon CFD puede ayudarte a invertir como un pro Empezar ahora Subscríbete Undo After 'namaz', 'qurbani' of goat as per the ritual was offered, where seventy percent of the meat has to be distributed. We later distributed it to relatives and families where 'qurbani' was not offered. For the evening, we also prepared 'sheer khurma', 'sewaiyyan' and 'dahi vada' to serve the guests. " "The festival teaches us the value of sharing, devotion and sacrifice. Preparations for the festival started days before at my house like buying new clothes, and other essentials for the festival. I spend time with my family on this day," said another local. Tight security arrangements were implemented by the administration to ensure a peaceful celebration. The DM monitored the administrative arrangements including crowd management and traffic flow. At Gandhi Maidan, around 128 CCTV cameras were installed to monitor the area, and a temporary police station was also set up.
