Old Delhi comes alive with Eid festivities

As one walks out of the Chawri Bazaar in Old Delhi, the street moving towards Jama Masjid is bustling with women decked up, and children eating at food stalls, all of which are open despite the heavy rains that lashed the city for the past few days. Matiya Mahal street opposite Jama Masjid smells of food, and colours can be seen everywhere with the constant sound of ‘Eid Mubarak’ being heard every few steps.

Further ahead towards Meena Bazaar near Urdu Park, in front of historic Jama Masjid gate, hoards of people make their way through stalls buying jewellery, toys, clothes or footwear; and eating at food stall selling Biryani and fruits.

Among all this ‘comfortable chaos’, sits Mohammad Salim Khan, a goat seller at the goat market here, who managed to not only sell all of his 80 goats but all managed to sell the most expensive goat in the market this year.

“It takes efforts to rear a good herd of goats. My goats sell the quickest and highest rates every year. This year the most expensive goat sold weighed 350 kilograms and sold for Rs 4.5 lakh,” says Khan, who has been in the business for 35 years.

“This is the …read more