Mumbai's Bakra Bazars, or for any matter, of any other
place, are a common feature during the festival of Eid al-Adha or the Feast of
Sacrifice, a major Muslim Festival.
This year it fell on September 13, when the Ganesh Chaturthi
festivities are also on. The ten day long Ganesh Chaturthi festival began on
September 5 and will go on till September 15.
While visiting Mumbai's Mumbadevi temple, which is located
in a densely populated area of lanes, houses and markets, one will come across
such hoards of goats (the main animal for sacrifice) as this photograph says.
Mumbadevi area has over 50 percent Muslim population and the
alleys all around the temple have a mix population of shops owned by Hindus and
Muslims. If you will find goats herded up for sacrifice here, you will also
find the Ganpati idols and Mandaps (make shift pavilions) in every other lane.
Though the ritual of sacrificing animals is increasingly
being criticized, it is still the norm.
Here, in this image, we can see how many goats are rounded
up and chained in a makeshift camp. A 'not for sale' marker is hanging
prominently that shows the animals are specifically for September 13 sacrifice
and not for routine sale.
©SantoshChaubey
