[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_column_text css_animation=””]This piece, dear reader, is before you on December 31st, the last day of 2006. Some of my fellow columnists have already walked you through the year. I could trot you through it also, or, if you are a speed junkie, we could gallop through it but that’s pointless. One year is as good or bad as another, pious and nice wishes aside, and my own experience is that every year sucks. But more importantly, you really do not need my two-penny wisdom to know how it unfolded or on what note it might be closing. You are far too intelligent for that — even the General-President now knows that.
As for making projections into 2007, once I can figure out my own life, I might be able to tell you some more about how the new year is going to pan out for you, me, the nation and the ummah. Since there’s a cat’s chance in hell of the first happening, there’s even slimmer chance of the second. So, you are spared on that count also.
The only thing I can tell you is that it’s a bad idea to have Eid the very next day after New Year’s Eve. As a fretting, cavilling friend told me the other day, it’s technically a bit difficult to reconcile a hangover with the freshness required for early-morning prayers. I commiserated with him and said that it’s never good to be in a nutcracker situation. He thought I was being sadistic and I had to feign tears to make him understand that I appreciated his plight perfectly. Life is about making difficult choices and this one being angst-ridden, my heart goes out to the partygoers.
The beards should rest easy, however, and let Eid be the party-pooper this year. Those who would still manage to party, as some surely would, are the diehards and must be commended for having the ability to make clear choices. From among such, the doubtful mortals find their leaders.
Meanwhile, Eid reminds me of my childhood when I would go to theBakra Mandi with my maternal grandfather to size up and buy a nicebakra. There would be a lot of ba-ba-ing, jostling, and of course, the necessary haggling. The world hadn’t been invaded yet by the homo environmentalus and there were no Isa Daudpotas to give us the stats on how our desire to dig into a good boti was screwing the globe’s vegetation. The result was pleasing, life was easygoing, we laughed a lot, knew nothing about the ozone layer, democracy, Dr Shahid Masud’s eschatological concerns, scatology and all the rest that makes life so difficult in these post-modern days.
Baseline: we liked to eat meat — not just once a year, but year-round; and not just meat with meat but meat with all the veggies also.
Now we have another development, one that even Thomas Friedman did not think of — at least I have never come across it in any of his many writings. I refer to the use of the Internet to sell bakras and other sacrificial animals. Today, if you want to avoid the hassle of Bakra Mandi,log on to e-bakra.com or qurbanionline.com and you have your chosen animal. Bingo!
If the trend catches up, like global bonds, we may even be able to move a bakra or two from one part of the world to another. This should make Friedman’s chess-playing grandmother very happy. The only problem is that while one can play chess with the Russians on-line which is what granny was doing, says Friedman, I guess there’s not much one can do with the bakras unless we can invent an argot forbakra lovers who can move bakras across the world through the Internet and converse in bakra-jargon.
For the qasai of course you may still have to use the traditional method of going looking for one or waiting for the roving groups to flay you as well as the animal. But sulk not, meat-loving reader, qasaionline.com is just a web-page away from e-bakra.com and by the next meat-infested Eid, you may even be able to get and book a qasai on the Internet.
As for me, the smells and noises of the Bakra Mandi are an essential part of the entire ritual. There’s some disconnect between the desire to slaughter and flay an animal and to begin the process in front of a computer. It is un-chivalrous in the same way as modern warfare. Hegel’s first man would not have liked to simply press the button and be done with the adversary.
So, if e-bakra.com it is going to be, then as my colleague Sarah said, let the qurbani also be virtual. That would fulfil the ritual and also save thebakra. It’s a thought, but how would we tuck into a goat or two? Virtual is not for me, whether bakra or … perhaps I should leave this unsaid.
Meanwhile, here’s a very happy new year to everyone who has put up with me in the year that is about to set.
Ejaz Haider is News Editor of The Friday Times and Op-Ed Editor of Daily Times. He can be reached at [email protected]
[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_column_text css_animation=”bottom-to-top”]With advancements in technology and increase in buying power, most of the city dwellers are looking for ways to cut the steps between order and delivery. People are relying on phone and internet to place orders and receive goods, eliminating the hassle of physically visiting the marketplace.
Eid ul-Adha is marked with the ritual of sacrifice and millions of muslims across the globe make sacrifices of cows, goats, sheep and camels to remember the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (may Peace be Upon Him) as well as to celebrate the end of Hajj.
While making sacrifice is not an issue in muslim countries, it is really a task for muslims living in the western world. People usually send funds to their relatives and friends in muslim countries to make sacrifice on their behalf or give money to charities for the purpose. But now they have got control on their sacrifices, thanks to the internet.
According to news report, a company in Karachi is providing online purchase of animals for the Eid season.
QurbaniOnline.com is an online Bakra-buying service that provides photo, video, voice and other descriptions including types and prices of the goats and other sacrificial animals on the internet which assists customers to make their choice.
QurbaniOnline offers two breeds of goats. The two-toothed Andoo goats are available from $100 to $120 whereas four-toothed goats are being priced from $120 to $300 (Rs60=$1 appx). Where as the two-toothed Khasi Bakra is being sold at between $100 and $250 while four-toothed starts from $100 to $500.
QurabaniOnline.com charges $10 to deliver the sacrificial animal (goat) from Mandi (market) to home. They also provide slaughtering service for $20.
Although they have an outlet at Sohrab Goth they do not own or stock animals. Instead they have made arrangements with various livestock farms. However they have started up a slaughter house as they aim to provide meat dressing services in future.
It is good to see businesses in Pakistan embracing internet. Qurbani Online can do well if they provide quality service and swift feedback.
Meanwhile people who prefer qurbani through charities, can donate here, here and here.
Update: OnlineQurbani.com is a web site in India to collect online contributions for sacrifices. Meat will be distributed to the poor in India.
With Eidul Azha just around the corner, the advertisements regarding the online purchase of sacrificial animals are now appearing on internet while people this time seem most interested to opt for this way rather heading towards markets set up at different points of the twin cities.
The idea for purchasing sacrificial animals online is although not so old yet it is fast gaining popularity due to convenience it offers to the customers who otherwise have to bear the pain of searching, bargaining and then loading the animal.
Once you logged on to the computer, various advertisements offering sacrificial animals at your doorstep start appearing on the screen of the monitor and one could book the animal of ones choice just through one click.
The websites with different names belonging to different stations included the names of ebakra.com, qurbanionline.com and bakraonline.com are not only offering the animal, but also providing the logistics for the convenience of the customers.
The pictures of different sacrificial animals along with their prices have been placed on the website while a customer also have an option to visit the farm where these cattle were living if they desire to do so.
In the online gallery the animals’ details like weight, teeth, age, photo, price and its “name” are given separately to help a customer choose the animal of his choice. “Buying sacrificial was never as easy as it has been now with the introduction of online sale of animals,” said Fida Maqsood, a businessman. He said that online purchase of animal saves a lot of time and trouble, which they otherwise have to face in case of searching for them in market.
Although the animals available online were far expensive than those in open market, but according to the customers it was worth spending extra money, as it saves them from a long exercise required in visiting market and dealing with the traders.
Most of the times the online purchase of animal is done with credit cards and the animal are delivered at the doorstep of the customer on decided time. “It was very hectic for me to visit the stinking markets and choose the animal, but now the online purchase of animals has solved the problem of many women like me who themselves had to visit the market in the absence of their male family members,” said Myra Zia, a widow.
One of the big reasons behind the popularity of online purchase of sacrificial animals was the guarantee offered by these website regarding the overall health and weight of the animal. “One can trust blindly that the animal, which has been described in the website would be exactly the same as it has been claimed,” said Usman Rasool. He said that it was good to purchase the animals online in the current law and order situation of the country which government should also take steps to promote the sale of sacrificial animals through internet. “Government should formulate a proper mechanism through which the animals could be purchased online, which would not only help in maintaining the law and order situation but also help to bring down the prices of sacrificial animals online,” he said.
With Eidul Azha just around the corner, the advertisements regarding the online purchase of sacrificial animals are now appearing on internet while people this time seem most interested to opt for this way rather heading towards markets set up at different points of the twin cities.
The idea for purchasing sacrificial animals online is although not so old yet it is fast gaining popularity due to convenience it offers to the customers who otherwise have to bear the pain of searching, bargaining and then loading the animal.
Once you logged on to the computer, various advertisements offering sacrificial animals at your doorstep start appearing on the screen of the monitor and one could book the animal of ones choice just through one click.
The websites with different names belonging to different stations included the names of qurbanionline.com and ۔۔۔ are not only offering the animal, but also providing the logistics for the convenience of the customers.
The pictures of different sacrificial animals along with their prices have been placed on the website while a customer also have an option to visit the farm where these cattle were living if they desire to do so.
In the online gallery the animals’ details like weight, teeth, age, photo, price and its “name” are given separately to help a customer choose the animal of his choice. “Buying sacrificial was never as easy as it has been now with the introduction of online sale of animals,” said Fida Maqsood, a businessman. He said that online purchase of animal saves a lot of time and trouble, which they otherwise have to face in case of searching for them in market.
Although the animals available online were far expensive than those in open market, but according to the customers it was worth spending extra money, as it saves them from a long exercise required in visiting market and dealing with the traders.
Most of the times the online purchase of animal is done with credit cards and the animal are delivered at the doorstep of the customer on decided time. “It was very hectic for me to visit the stinking markets and choose the animal, but now the online purchase of animals has solved the problem of many women like me who themselves had to visit the market in the absence of their male family members,” said Myra Zia, a widow.
One of the big reasons behind the popularity of online purchase of sacrificial animals was the guarantee offered by these website regarding the overall health and weight of the animal. “One can trust blindly that the animal, which has been described in the website would be exactly the same as it has been claimed,” said Usman Rasool. He said that it was good to purchase the animals online in the current law and order situation of the country which government should also take steps to promote the sale of sacrificial animals through internet. “Government should formulate a proper mechanism through which the animals could be purchased online, which would not only help in maintaining the law and order situation but also help to bring down the prices of sacrificial animals online,” he said.
[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_column_text css_animation=”bottom-to-top”]Newspaper: The Nation by MISHAAL MANZOOR
Modernization in the online market and experiments conducted to upgrade the popularity of online business have brought a great deal of customers to this new genre of shopping. Similarly, the purchase of sacrificial animal has gained popularity as it is found to be the most convenient way of buying an animal for the ceremonious day of Eid-ul-Azha. Benefits of an online purchase, when weighed with that of the strain one has to take in going to the animal markets, spending countless exhausting hours, bargaining for the one you have finally chosen and then taking the trouble of loading the animal to bring it home, proves comfortable, quick and may be effortless too if you find an animal that fits your financial range from the very first website that you survey. The animals being sold on the online forums are though expensive however, it is worth that price because it saves your time, fuel expense, energy and the stressful wandering that you would have to do for it. There are many websites that provide you the complete on whole details of the animals with their display pictures on their web pages, such as its weight, age, teeth etc. Moreover, if customers want to see the animal for themselves i.e. the farms where these animals are being brought up or fed, then they are also provided with the opportunity to look and decide as it is a very sacred matter.
Eid is just round the corner and everybody seems busy in buying animals for sacrifice. However, those who are over loaded with work and have no time to go to the market have serious concerns because by the time they head towards the market the prices go sky high and almost unreachable for an ordinary man. For this purpose they prefer this new trend of shopping the animals online and get their preferred animals delivered at their door step upon request. Today everything is just a click away. Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular for a variety of reasons. There are certainly outside factors such as increasing gas prices, difficulty getting to traditional stores and the hassles often associated with shopping in malls and other traditional stores may contribute to the increased interest in online shopping. However, there are also many benefits which make online shopping an excellent option for many busy shoppers. Some of these benefits include convenience, comparison shopping capabilities and express shipping options. Even though there are several markets where you can shop your animals in Pakistan, the new trend that has gained much popularity amongst the people is the online networks and websites to buy, sell and display their animals. One of the few websites QurbaniOnline.com is offering people to buy their qurbani animals by weight so they can easily know and judge how well the animal is. They offer three modes of payment i.e through cash, credit card and bank transfer .
These websites have become increasingly popular because they have become a trusted source for a hassle free and convenient qurbani. They attach scanned copies of charity receipts, pictures of animal alive and slaughtered to build and reinforce their reputation on their customers. They are specialist in providing online purchasing solutions of cows and goats for Eid ul Azha, regardless of where their customers are, across the globe. Qurbani Online is also providing online service to facilitate its donors and supporters worldwide by providing them easy, hassle free, safe and healthy qurbani service on the revered occasion of Eid ul Azha. They have selected reputable slaughter houses that would provide healthy goats and cows and also ensure that the slaughtering services are rendered in the required manner. People can also surf images to know about the current market rate by going through the hundreds of listings on olx.com for cheaper animals. The guarantee which any buyer anticipates in an online dealer is the guarantee of the animal’s health and the assurance that the one they have chosen, only that would be delivered at their place. If trust and proper governance will be put in the online market then this can facilitate a lot who are eager to take advantage from this medium and save time for themselves.
When you perform online Qurbani through QurbaniOnline.com, Pictures of animal being handed over to your chosen charity or being slaughtered will be forwarded to your e-mail address. QurbaniOnline is, and wishes to remain, your most trusted source for a hassle free and convenient Qurbani.
