A vendor with his goat, priced at around Rs 1 lakh, waits for customers at a market near the Jama Masjid.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The Meena Bazaar area near Jama Masjid here at the heart of the national capital transforms into a bustling hub of Bakrid shopping, attracting throngs of buyers to its famed 'Bakra Mela'.
Typically lined with garment shops, the area is cleared for the 10-day 'mela' held in the lead-up to Bakrid, which will be celebrated this year on June 16-17.
The 'mela' teems with activity with countless goats around, priced at Rs 25,000 and above. But one of them stands out with inscriptions of 'Allah' and 'Muhammed' on its coat — two of the most venerated words for many in the Muslim community — and could be sold for as high as Rs 10 lakh.
The owner of the goat, Mohammad Talim, said: "These rare goats are priceless because they have Allah's name written on them. There has been a bid from Mumbai for Rs 10 lakh but we haven't set a fixed price. We will sell it to whoever bids the highest." 'Qurbani' or sacrifice is an important part of Bakrid and is a gesture of gratitude to Allah by Muslims who share the meat with family, friends and the less fortunate.
Noor Hassan, who has come for the 'Bakra Mela' from Uttarakhand's Haldwani to sell his goats, said, "Every year during Eid, we come here to sell the goats."
"A goat's price ranges from Rs 25,000 to Rs 2 lakh depending entirely on their size and breed," Hassan said.
"We also have pairs of goats priced between Rs 1-2 lakh. We plan to sell all of them by June 17 and then return home to celebrate Eid," he added.
Sakir Hussain, who came to Delhi with around 100 goats from Mewat, said that goats that are under 14 months old are not sacrificed.
They raise the goats in Mewat, come here during Bakrid every year, and sell them in the 10 days leading up to the festival, Hussain said.
"I brought 100 goats, of which 30 have been sold. After selling the rest, we will go back to celebrate Eid with our family," he said.
Six to seven trucks, each carrying 150 to 200 goats, arrive at the 'Bakra Mela' every day.
The most common price range is Rs 25,000-Rs 40,000, and they sell quickly. The ones worth lakhs are fewer but they also find buyers. "Allah Rakha" and "Hrithik" are among them, owner Shahrukh Khan, also from Haldwani, told PTI.
The two-year-old goat, Hrithik, was originally priced at Rs 2 lakh but was sold for Rs 1.25 lakh after bargaining, he said.