Tomorrow is Eid Ul Adha here in Pakistan or at least those parts of it that still follow the writ of our government. After going about the business of procuring the animals for the ritual slaughter we engage in every year at exorbitant prices I might add, I decided to take the clan out for a traditional Pre Bakra Eid round of the city.
The usual tour takes us around most of the well known spots where enthusiasts bring forth their best and most expensive of Qurbanis for full pomp and honor by the denizens of this city. These spots are well lit up with spotlights and the animals properly cared for by handlers and owners presenting photo opportunities for kids with the cities biggest and baddest bulls and goats etc.
This year was quite different though as most of the spots i visited which in the past have always turned out to be a thrill for my kids and me, (the wife is against the smell) were mostly barren aside from a few onlookers. Perhaps the security situation deteriorating through the bottom of the said barrel or the fact that many ‘big daddies” in town did not put on a show had something to do with this. However i was quite surprised to see that even the places carrying food for animals to be slaughtered or embellishments for them involving various types of hars and motis were dull.
It seems like this Eid Karachi is in gloom and is just going through the motions as compared to what we have seen in the yesteryears. The presence of small goat mandis in various areas of the city is also pointing to the fact that animals are not being sold at the normal rate in the central market. How can they be when prices have almost doubled and peoples incomes shrunk through bad economic conditions layoffs and so on. More often than not most families are now opting to give a share in collective Qurbani being organized for the past few years in mosques. That is they buy a share in the animal being cut which is roughly 4500Rs this year. Compare that to a price of a single normal looking goat at Rs 12-13000 and voila we have our answer.
Sadly it seems that some parts of the city might not even see a drop of sacrificial blood shed this Eid. Still here is me wishing all of you a very happy EID MUBARAK!!! May your bbqs be extra spicy and the meat extra tender. May all our collective cholesterol levels rise till we slump into a big happy mass of exhausted Karachites & may god grant us security so we can slaughter away in peace ;)!!!!
Image credits
Pakistaniat
coolfreeimages.net