Living in one of the most populous cities in the world, Eid-ul-Adha has always meant preparing bamboo structures for cattle markets on the streets.
The city starts preparing itself to welcome cattlemen from all over the country along with the sacrificial animals.
The stacking up of groceries and packaged food items in shops and supermarkets, and the fresh recruitment of salesmen to handle the swarming crowds of customers—everyone in a constant effort to leave no stone unturned in preparing for the grand celebration day.
From the crisp sounds of new punjabis and sarees being unfolded to the mouth-watering fragrance of sweetened cuisines from the neighbourhoods filling the streets, Eid-ul-Adha has always been a festival of compassion, love, and respect.
But within the unmistakable clanging of knives being sharpened, a few sighs do not find their voices in the hustling and bustling metropolis—only to remain unheard.
The rhythmic chak chak of blades that follows the morning of every Eid represents the struggles of butchers who tirelessly continue their work. In the hope of feeding a few families, they perform their job with grace and expertise—without any complaint. Despite our passionate search for a butcher, we often forget to see what they actually stand for: an identity representing sacrifice and dedication.
The butchers who have not been able to participate in the first jamaat of Eid namaaz are always the ones who arrive at our doorsteps early in the morning. They make us feel assured that the rest of the sacrificial ceremony can now be conducted without any effort, yet we often do not remember to ask them whether they were able to say their Eid prayers on time or not.
On the other hand, the tradition of hiring cleaners by the city corporations has been in place for many years now. When the butchers are done with their job, the cleaners arrive in the later hours of Eid day—armed with hose pipes, brooms, and sanitizers. In order to give the city dwellers a nice and clean environment, they bury their feet deep into the pools of blood that usually cover the streets.
Not asking much for themselves, they tend to clean up the city with utmost professionalism and patience. Unfortunately, despite the immense services they provide, not much importance or incentives are given to them or their families. Nor are there many organizations that can help amplify their voices so they can speak about their hardships to the masses they serve. As they delve into the animal remains left over in garbage bins and on the streets without any kind of gloves or boots, we often fail to recognize their efforts or convey a simple word of thanks.
But then, there is a whole new group of heroes in white aprons who are constantly there for our needs in emergency situations—the doctors, nurses, and ambulance drivers. The general surge in patients increases during Eid, as many appear to suffer from minor cuts to major traumas.
It is not something we often think about—their selfless contributions—as they never fail to stand by those in desperate need of medical attention.
And to those out there in the fields who are constantly guarding the sovereignty of our nation: the constant vigilance of the paramilitary forces at the border and coastline, the commitment of the armed forces, and the dedication of law enforcement agencies make us feel safe and allow us to celebrate with our loved ones without worry. We know that these heroes are always out there, doing their jobs and protecting us.
It is important for us to remember that Islam does not consider Eid to be over simply by saying the prayers, but also by how we treat others!