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Eid-ul-Adha celebrations: Shoppers flock to markets in Kashmir
Thousands thronged markets ahead of Eid-ul-Adha, the festival of sacrifice, in Kashmir though traders and businessmen rued the lack of sales owing to decrease in footfall and purchasing power of people than in the past.
Thousands thronged markets ahead of Eid-ul-Adha, the festival of sacrifice, in Kashmir though traders and businessmen rued the lack of sales owing to decrease in footfall and purchasing power of people than in the past.
The markets across Kashmir were buzzing with activity with people thronging outlets selling apparel, shoes, bakeries and jewellery. The sale of sacrificial animals could be seen going on at multiple places across the region.
The rush in Srinagar markets including at city centre Lal Chowk and adjoining markets was also noticeable after months of slump in business.
“The rush was good for the past two days. The Smart City project which diverted the traffic from the city centre caused a lot of losses to the traders for the past many months. Yesterday and today, I experienced good sales mostly in kids’ items like shoes, bangles, dresses and cosmetics for ladies,” said Javed Ahmad, a shop owner at Goni-Khan Market.
Jammu and Kashmir will be celebrating Eid-ul-Adha on Thursday with Muslims going for the sacrifice of animals.
The sheep dealers this year experienced less demand from the people for the sacrificial animals as the government had not announced any rates for the animals deregulating the market. “Last year, we witnessed a lot of rush. Today, the animals are in abundance, but people are not buying. They don’t have money. The demand is not even 50% than last year,” said a dealer at Eidgah where the largest market of sacrificial animals is held.
President, Kashmir Retailers Association, Farhan Kitab said that the market health has not recovered despite the Eid festival.
“Overall, the market situation is bad, which started after work on the Smart City project was initiated early this year. Overall financial stress is there. Now, the footfall on Eid is not even 20% of what it used to be on Eid days,” Kitab said.
He said that the purchasing power of people has gone down due to the bad condition of the market since Covid. “A customer is under stress, if he wants to buy and he is not able to. Not even bakeries are showing any signs of rush,” he said.
The old side of the city is showing no different behaviour. The traders of Shehr-e-Khaas or Old City said that the people are visiting the markets, but sales are not happening.
“In terms of economy, we are witnessing the worst kind of Eid festivity right now,” said Imtiyaz Qalandar, member of advisory board of Shehr-e-Khaas Traders Association.
He said that the purchasing capacity of people has lessened. “It is because of the past 30 years of turmoil, although the government and banks would help us earlier but now the government has put all the burden on traders and consumers like GST and increased tariffs of power and other amenities,” he said.
People said that even the government did not provide advance salaries to its employees on the Eid occasion as used to be the norm in the past.
“The money would circulate in the market helping its recovery but this Eid we didn’t get a salary beforehand. I could just manage some basic necessities on Eid,” said an employee of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation.
On Tuesday, People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti had urged the government to release the money of contractors and pay salaries of employees.
“Contractors in J&K are still waiting for their dues to be paid despite requisite funds being available with the government. Request LG Manoj Sinha to kindly release their payment and also salary of employees before Eid so that they can celebrate it with their families,” she said in a tweet.
Authorities disallow Eid prayers at Srinagar Eidgah: Anjuman Auqaf
Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid, the managing body of Kashmir’s grand mosque in Srinagar, on Wednesday said that the authorities barred them from holding Eid prayers at Eidgah, the Eid prayers’ ground in old city.
“This is to inform the public that authorities have conveyed to Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid that once again Eid-ul-Adha prayers will not be allowed at the historic and central Eidgah Srinagar on Thursday at 9 am. District administration officials today morning conveyed this decision to Anjuman Auqaf officials, “ the Anjuman said in a statement.
The Eid prayers on Eid Ul Fitr were also not held last time at Eidgah.
The Anjuman said that in keeping with past traditions, it had announced that Eid prayers will be held at Eidgah Srinagar at 9am.
