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Bakrid: Soaring prices fail to deter buyers as goat sellers do brisk business in UP’s Prayagraj
These traders who arrived in big numbers with goats and lambs said high costs didn’t appear to be a deterrent for those wanting to fulfill their religious obligations by offering animal sacrifice.
Despite soaring prices, livestock traders reported brisk business at the makeshift goat market in Kareli area on the Bakrid (Eid-Ul-Azha) eve.
These traders who arrived in big numbers with goats and lambs said high costs didn’t appear to be a deterrent for those wanting to fulfill their religious obligations by offering animal sacrifice.
“The price of goats is determined by their height, weight and looks and could range anywhere between ₹10,000 to ₹1 lakh,” an animal seller said.
“Getting the right goat at the right price isn’t easy. Many customers have been arriving at the market for days and still not getting goats of their choice,” says Karimullah, a local resident.
Buyers have also been turning up in large numbers at other makeshift animal markets like Hatia and Nakhas Kohna.
Nafees, a goat trader said that Rajasthani and Barbari breeds of goats are more in demand. Other popular breeds include Jamunapaari, Totapari, Beetal, Sirohi among others.
Few incidents of goat thefts have also been reported for the past few weeks and goat traders admitted that ensuring safety of their animals too weighed on their minds.
SHO, Kareli police station Ramashray Yadav said regular patrolling is being done near all goat markets. Goat traders have been asked to guard against overcrowding that could lead to traffic jams.
Due to senior police officials, peace committee meetings have been carried out at Kareli, Khuldabad, Kotwali and other police stations of old city areas.
Police teams will be deployed at main city mosques, where special Eid-ul-Azha prayers are to be offered, officials said.
‘Shera, Kallu’ draw attention
Two goats, Shera and Kallu, have drawn much attention, due to their size.
Giant size Shera in Beli area of the city, weighs nearly a quintal and virtually resembles a blue bull, is of Rajasthani breed.
Shera’s owner Mohd Nadim, while refusing to share its actual price, merely said the animal bought from Shajapur district of Madhya Pradesh for several lakhs of rupees.
Nadim, a trader, said that Shera’s diet includes 2 litres of milk and corn flakes each morning, crushed dry fruits besides oats and other edibles.
Pictures of a goat named ‘Kallu’ that weighs 160-kilograms, too have gone viral on social media. “Kallu is of Punjabi breed, is in habit of sleeping on the bed and has a good diet,” says ‘Kallu’s’ owner Mohd Meeran.
