Decked Up Goats Take Over Delhi's Meena Bazaar Ahead Of Eid-ul-Adha

"Some of these goats have come here in SUVs, don't think any less of them," joked Meharban, 38, as he flaunted his livestock ferried to Delhi's famous Meena Bazaar from Uttar Pradesh for sale ahead of Eid-ul-Adha.

 Hundreds of goats adorned with elegant anklets, collars with bells, and mogra flowers have taken over the area here, with their owners trying every trick in the book to entice buyers ahead of the festival on Sunday.

The 'Bakra Mela' has returned to Meena Bazaar - the most famous shopping hub for Eid in the national capital -after two years of Covid-imposed lull, with merchants flocking from all over North India to sell off their best livestock. Around a hundred tents have been pitched in Urdu Park and Hauz, which are located on either side of Meena Bazaar. Both the areas, which usually house local vendors and stalls, were emptied for the 10-day 'mela' to accommodate the livestock.

Sitting under one such makeshift tent allotted to him, Meharban, a resident of Shamli district in Uttar Pradesh, said he has come here with 15 of his family members to sell off 100 goats.  "We came here the day before yesterday. We booked these tents last month. We have sold many of our goats and are hopeful to sell the rest of them by tomorrow evening (Saturday), and by night we will leave for home," Meharban said. Meharban mentioned that he has been coming here for the last 20 years, except for the previous two years due to covid-19.

 "I make a good profit every year. It is a good opportunity. Over the last three-four days, our family members brought these goats. Some used public transport like buses and some have come here by hitchhiking. Some in SUVs also," he told PTI, while his nephews were feeding the goats. 

The prices of these goats range from a few thousand to several lakh rupees. When asked how the prices of goats are decided, Sunny Sarohah (21) from Haryana's Sonipat district said it depends on the animal's features -- weight, looks, and height. Their prices skyrocket if they carry a mark such as a star or moon, he added. Sarohah said he was in the capital to sell four goats. He bought them a year ago and raised them for this occasion. "We feed them properly. Well-fed goats look good and are sold at higher prices. They are like an investment with good returns," he said.

 The 10-day 'mela' has also resulted in the opening up of several side businesses, such as shops for anklets and bells for goats and food carts to cater to the merchants' hunger pangs. One among such stalls belongs to Mohammed Shoiab Ansari, 18, who has traveled from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. "We sell one plate of Biryani for Rs 30 and we make a good profit," Ansari said. He, however, said his business hasn't matched that in the pre-Covid years.

Sitting at his shop, a merchant said, "This (crowd) is nothing. Two years ago you would not have gotten a place to even keep your foot in the market. This time, very less people have come."  Despite improvement in the Covid-19 situation and easing of pandemic-related restrictions, the shopkeepers said their businesses were yet to pick up the pace. The market continues to battle the economic impact of the pandemic as shopkeepers claimed that sales had gone down by more than 50 percent.

 "I've been running this shop for the last 20 years. The business got impacted during the pandemic and it is yet to return to normalcy. This market used to buzz with the public during the week of Eid before the pandemic but it has changed now. However, it is better this year as compared to the last two years," Mohammad Tabrez, 28, a garment shop owner said.