Temporary cattle market for Bakrid will not be set up this year

Kolkata: Temporary cattle market will not be set up for Bakrid at Narkeldanga due to COVID-19 pandemic.

"Every year, a week before Bakrid (also known as Eid- al-Adha) we used to set up a temporary livestock market at Narkeldanga Main Road (Khal Pool). But this year, we are not setting up the cattle market due to COVID-19 and co-operate with West Bengal Government in the pandemic period," said Md Ali, secretary of Jamiatul Quresh Narkeldanga, which facilitates the setting up of the livestock market in Narkeldanga.

The goat fair near Syed Baba Dargah under the Vidyasagar Setu and in Zakaria Street in central Kolkata will also not be held this year.

The Narkeldanga and Kidderpore cattle markets are being preferred by people buying average size goats. However, the goat and dumba market near Nakhoda Masjid is known for high priced goat and dumba.

Eid-al-Adha takes place after the end of Haj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. It commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to give up his beloved son on

Allah's command.

Following the instructions from Allah, the father blindfolded his son, Ismail, who readily agreed for the sacrifice, and slit his throat.

After Prophet Ibrahim opened his eyes, he saw Ismail was alive and a dumba had been killed instead.

"Sacrificing on Eid-al-Adha is mandatory in Islam only for those who can afford it.

We urge people not to buy cattle expensive animals this year and distribute the money to the needy to get reward from

Allah. For example, rather

than buying Rs one lakh cattle he/she should buy Rs 25000 cattle and give Rs 75,000 among people who are poor in the community," pointed out Ali.

Eid- al- Adha is celebrated on the tenth day of the Islamic month of Zul Hijjah. Followers of Islam across the world celebrate it for three days. It will be observed in India from August 1.

"Every year, I sacrifice on the Bakrid. But this year,

I don't have money to buy the animal because I am

jobless for the last four months due to lockdown to prevent COVID-19 pandemic," said Waqar Rub, resident of Jhowtala Lane.