IANS/New Delhi
‘Saif Ali Khan’ and ‘Kareena Kapoor’ are up for “grabs” for a whopping Rs400,000. Not the celebratory couple, but a pair of goats being sold at old Delhi’s Jama Masjid bazar ahead of Eid al-Adha. Interestingly, the two-year-old goats are males!Weighing 200kg each, the 5ft tall goats belong to the popular Mewati breed and can be bought individually as well for Rs250,000 each.
“After Saif and Kareena got married (on Tuesday), we decided to pair these two goats. It is a much better deal if someone buys them together,” said their owner Idris.The goats eat over a kg of jowar, 3 to 4 kg of fresh green leaves and grass and 3 litres of milk daily to maintain their stout structure, Idris said.The goats priced between Rs5,000 and Rs10,000 constitute 80% of the sales at this temporary market which comes up every year during this time and is open 24 hours.“Goats from Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh belonging to breeds like Mewati, Barbari, Desi, Punjabi, Totapuri, Sirohi and Himachali are available in the market,” said Khalid Khan, another shopkeeper.According to tradition, a sacrificial goat has to be carefully selected. It should be healthy, with a strong physique, and should not have any deformities.Despite the recession and inflation, the market is doing brisk business and is set to surge further, especially over the weekend. The shopkeepers, meanwhile, are leaving no stone unturned to attract customers.From painting the goat’s horns in bright colours to tying colourful leashes and anklets - the more decorated a goat is, the better its prospects are of being sold at a higher price, shopkeepers said. The owners don’t have to go far to buy these colourful decorative items. There are a few shops that sell them at the spot.Some of the white-coloured goats also carried henna designs on their backs.The shopkeepers know that the best way to sell their goats is to decorate them to catch the customers’ eye.