Pre-Eid spectacle draws droves of onlookers

A large number of people and media persons converged to a neighbourhood in North Nazimabad to witness the annual ritual of bulls being brought down from the roof of a four-storey building for Edul Azha.

Syed Ejaz Hassan raises sacrificial animals on his rooftop mini-cattle farm. Each year huge bulls are lowered with the help of cranes around 10 days ahead of Eidul Azha. Hassan said he has been raising cattle on his rooftop for the past 20 years.

The biggest attraction for the children is what local people call ‘moon bull’ for its crescent like horns. The North Nazimabad residents, especially children, wait the entire year to lift down the heavy weight animal from the fourth floor.

On Sunday, as the expert technicians lowered the bulls, people were awed and children were elated to see the huge animals hanging in the air. Whistles, claps and shouts of exclamations rang around as each of the super bulls landed safely on the ground.

Hassan shared that like everyone else, he too was hit by the economic downturn due to the coronavirus pandemic. “I could only raise two animals on my rooftop farm in the past two years.”

However, this year, he Hassan said he has bought six cattle heads for the next Eidul Azha. He said that due to the permanent arrangements on the rooftop, his hobby does not cause any problem.

For Hassan - an entrepreneur - the roof of his four-floor building is the only place with enough space for the hay and troughs necessary to raise the half dozen cattle he hopes to sell for a profit before Eid.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2021.