In the days before Eid al-Adha, Srinagar’s Eidgah fills with sacrificial animals and their keepers, turning the open grounds into a landscape of trade, devotion, and anticipation.  Aasif Bashir reports.

Sacrificial animals wait in the grounds of Eidgah ahead of Eid al-Adha in Srinagar, Kashmir. Across the valley, sheep, goats and cattle brought to markets in the days before the festival become part of one of Islam’s most significant ritual: Qurbani, or sacrifice.

Observed by Muslims worldwide, Eid al-Adha commemorates the Quranic account of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)’s willingness to sacrifice his son Propheet Ismail (AS) in obedience to Allah’s command, an act ultimately met with divine mercy when a ram was provided in his place. The ritual sacrifice performed during the festival is understood not simply as slaughter, but as an act of devotion, gratitude, and submission to Allah.

The meat is traditionally divided into portions shared among family, relatives, and those in need, placing charity at the centre of the observance. 

In Kashmir, the annual gathering of sacrificial animals at Eidgah transforms the open grounds into a space of trade, anticipation, and faith, where commerce meets ritual and centuries-old religious tradition becomes visible in everyday life.