Today is Eid-Al Aza (or Eid al-Adha, depending on how you choose to spell it). As we explained last post, it is a time of celebration and sacrifice to Allah for his mercy in allowing Ibrahim to substitute a ram instead of sacrficing his son Ishmael. We had heard that the scene could get pretty gruesome here, as the tradition is for every family to sacrifice a cow or goat (or multiple of each) in the street in front of the home. Since Dhaka is full of multi-family apartment buildings, each floor has a family or two and it leads to a lot of sacrificing on the street.We were a bit nervous as the day grew closer and the volume of animals outside of buildings increased day after day. By Friday, the massive scale of the activity was becoming clear. Last night, we realized that from our windows we could see at least 6 bulls waiting and several goats. As we walked down the streets of our neighborhood we realized that every building had lots of animals out front.
This morning following the morning prayers, the activity began. At first, we weren’t sure how much we were going to watch. The curbani (or quorbani, again depending on spelling- it means the sacrifice) is not something we are exactly used to seeing, and the thought of watching anything die was not appealing. On the other hand, it is ritual that is very meaningful to those who get to do it, and we can’t help but have a natural interest and curiosity. We decided to see how it went, and figured we would probably stay on the balcony, but would try to take pictures from there and that way if it got to be too much we could just go inside. We decided that it was better for Atticus not to see it, and he agreed.
So this morning as the sacrifices began, we went on the porch (Atticus stayed inside watching cartoons and occasionaly asked for updates on the number of corpses). Everyone was so excited and it was such a happy occasion as people embraced each other and wished each other Eid Mubarak. The joyousness was also emphasized by a call from Taborok to tell us how happy he was and wish us Eid Mubarak. Right in front of our balcony we had a full view of Charlie and Snowflake’s departure.
Charlie was the first to go and the hardest to watch. We had developed a bit of affection for him because he was such an ornery guy, and it was difficult to see him killed. It was reassuring though that the ritual is very humane (well, as humane as killing an animal can be…). They pinned him down and calmed him by rubbing his head. There were several men that we think were holy men (or at least experts in something related to the actual throat slicing) that came from place to place and did the actual slicing of the neck when the bulls and goats were ready. One long slice, while “Allah Akbar” is recited, and the thing is done. Indeed, compared to the traumatizing way the animals are treated before slaughter at most factories in other places, this is far preferable.
Jon decided to take a walk around the neighborhood (because after watching a few from the porch it is amazing how quickly you get totally desensitized to all the blood). As he walked along the streets, stepping around the pools of blood and carcasses waiting to be butchered, everyone was so happy and delighted that it really felt quite festive. Jon had gone out kind of on a sudden whim, so he was wearing his lungi, and he got lots of greetings of “Eid Mubarak brother” and embraces.
We really can’t exaggerate the amount of blood. It was flowing in streams. The cleanup was surprisingly efficient though. Within a few hours, almost all trace of the morning’s bloodshed had been cleaned up. The animals were skinned on the street and brought in for butchering. The drains were hosed off and the gory sights of the morning seem almost surreal. Of course, we’ve got photos, so it isn’t to be forgotten.
We took some pretty gruesome photos, but don’t know if all are interested in such graphic images, so we are posting a PG-13 rated version here on the blog. (Some are still pretty bloody, so don’t scroll down too far if you don’t like thinking about where your hamburgers come from!) I know some of you are truly interested in seeing the ritual sacrifice more close up, and we’ve got photos of that, for sure, but it may be better if you send an email to us and we’ll send them to you less publicly. We’ve tried to capture the festiveness, but it is admittedly pretty easy to succumb to the shock value of the imagery. We hope we haven’t been to0 exploitative.
All in all, it was an interesting morning that we are happy to have gotten to see. Eid Mubarak everybody, Eid Mubarak!
Charlie was the first to go and the hardest to watch. We had developed a bit of affection for him because he was such an ornery guy, and it was difficult to see him killed. It was reassuring though that the ritual is very humane (well, as humane as killing an animal can be…). They pinned him down and calmed him by rubbing his head. There were several men that we think were holy men (or at least experts in something related to the actual throat slicing) that came from place to place and did the actual slicing of the neck when the bulls and goats were ready. One long slice, while “Allah Akbar” is recited, and the thing is done. Indeed, compared to the traumatizing way the animals are treated before slaughter at most factories in other places, this is far preferable.
Jon decided to take a walk around the neighborhood (because after watching a few from the porch it is amazing how quickly you get totally desensitized to all the blood). As he walked along the streets, stepping around the pools of blood and carcasses waiting to be butchered, everyone was so happy and delighted that it really felt quite festive. Jon had gone out kind of on a sudden whim, so he was wearing his lungi, and he got lots of greetings of “Eid Mubarak brother” and embraces.
We really can’t exaggerate the amount of blood. It was flowing in streams. The cleanup was surprisingly efficient though. Within a few hours, almost all trace of the morning’s bloodshed had been cleaned up. The animals were skinned on the street and brought in for butchering. The drains were hosed off and the gory sights of the morning seem almost surreal. Of course, we’ve got photos, so it isn’t to be forgotten.
We took some pretty gruesome photos, but don’t know if all are interested in such graphic images, so we are posting a PG-13 rated version here on the blog. (Some are still pretty bloody, so don’t scroll down too far if you don’t like thinking about where your hamburgers come from!) I know some of you are truly interested in seeing the ritual sacrifice more close up, and we’ve got photos of that, for sure, but it may be better if you send an email to us and we’ll send them to you less publicly. We’ve tried to capture the festiveness, but it is admittedly pretty easy to succumb to the shock value of the imagery. We hope we haven’t been to0 exploitative.
All in all, it was an interesting morning that we are happy to have gotten to see. Eid Mubarak everybody, Eid Mubarak!
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