Muslims in Kolkata and the rest of West Bengal will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha on Thursday (29 June) along with the rest of India. Ahead of the festival, Kolkata's temporary animal markets are busy, and at the last minute cattle are selling almost dirt cheap.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation has strictly ordered that no animals may be bought or sold on the city's streets this year. As a result, the temporary markets have been set up, with the authorities' permission, a little way outside the city.

Because temporary markets run for several days around Eid-ul-Azha, the roads are left covered in dung, urine and rubbish, and sanitation workers struggle to clean them. That is why, on the corporation's orders, the markets have been moved some distance from the city.

A temporary cattle and goat market has been set up stretching from beyond Rajarhat as far as Polirhat. Local cattle there usually sell for between Rs 16,000 and 20,000, and buyers may be able to bring the price down further by bargaining.

In the same market, goats weighing 25 kg or a little more are selling for Rs 15,000 to 20,000. Often goats are selling for more than cattle.

Another temporary market has been set up beside the Beliaghata bridge at Deganga in North 24 Parganas. Here local cattle are much cheaper than cattle from other states. The larger cattle from other states are selling for Rs 2 lakh to 5 lakh.

The same picture is seen in the other districts of West Bengal where animal markets have been set up, besides Kolkata.

Shakil Abedin, who came to buy cattle, said prices were largely affordable this year. "So I'm buying a good local cow. Every year I sacrifice a cow at the madrasa in our area, and I'll do the same this year."

Better-off Muslim families, however, prefer improved dumba (fat-tailed sheep) and castrated goats. A good heavy dumba is selling for Rs 70,000 to 80,000.

In recent years the main places in Kolkata where temporary animal markets are held for Eid-ul-Azha have included Garden Reach, Zakaria Street, Metiabruz, Rajabazar, Motijheel and Narkel Bagan.

The cattle, goats and dumba from other states that used to be seen in these areas seem to have vanished this year. They are now being sold at the temporary markets outside the city.

Mohammad Mozhar Molla, who sells animals at a temporary market, said there are more local cattle in the market this year, so prices are lower. Castrated goats, however, are a little expensive at these markets.

Eid-ul-Azha is celebrated peacefully in Kolkata every year, and the police expect the same this time. Security has been tightened on the city's streets.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.