In run up to Eid-ul-Adha, low-key preparations witnessed in Kashmir
Srinagar, Jun 4: The usual festive spirit that lights up Kashmir’s markets ahead of Eid-ul-Adha is conspicuously absent this year. From the bustling Eidgah Market in Srinagar to livestock stalls in Pulwama, Anantnag, Baramulla, and Budgam, a heavy air of economic despair hangs over traders and buyers alike — further deepened by the recent Pahalgam terror attack and a near-total collapse in tourism. Livestock sellers across the Valley sit beside unsold goats, sheep, and cattle, watching the days tick down to Eid with growing anxiety. “Last year, by this time, I was almost sold out,” said Imtiyaz Ahmad, a trader from Pulwama. “This year, I haven’t even sold half. People just aren’t coming.”
The slump in sales is being attributed to a deadly combination of inflation, widespread unemployment, and shrinking household incomes. But this year, there’s an added sense of unease. The recent terror attack in the tourist hub of Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives, has further dented already fragile public sentiment — dealing a major blow to Kashmir’s economy that heavily depends on tourism. “People are scared. Tourists have disappeared overnight. Hotels are empty. That’s had a domino effect on everyone — shopkeepers, pony owners, handicraft sellers, and even livestock dealers like me,” said Ghulam Nabi, a veteran livestock trader in Srinagar.
Tourism — a key economic lifeline in the Valley — had just begun to pick up after months of lull. The attack, however, has led to mass cancellations of bookings, leaving local businesses in shock. “My guest house in Pahalgam had full occupancy for June,” said Altaf Hussain, a hotelier. “Now, I am staring at a 90 per cent cancellation rate. Eid or no Eid, people have no income.” “With prices going up and tourism down, our family business is suffering. We wanted to buy a sheep for Eid, but now we are thinking of skipping it altogether,” said Bashir Ahmad, a father of three from Baramulla.
Even traders who remain cautiously optimistic are tempering their expectations. “Usually, there is a last-minute buying spree just before Eid,” said Mushtaq Lone, a livestock dealer from Budgam. “But this time, the footfall is very low. People are bargaining hard or walking away. Many might wait till the last day hoping for price drops.”
Some sellers fear they may be forced to sell at a loss. “Feeding these animals for many weeks costs money. If sales don’t pick up in the next few days, it will be a disaster,” said Nazir Bhat, a seller from Anantnag. Kashmir’s fragile economy, already under strain from inflation, low job creation, and erratic weather impacting agriculture — now faces a deepening crisis. The confluence of economic hardship and security concerns has cast a shadow over what is usually a season of celebration. As Eid-ul-Adha approaches, the markets of Kashmir remain eerily subdued — their silence reflecting the broader anxiety gripping Kashmir where survival, for many, has taken precedence over tradition.
