Qurbani In India

Performing Qurbani in India’s villages is much easier than doing it in metro cities — which is why many people living in cities prefer to have their Qurbani carried out in nearby villages instead. Given the practical difficulties people face performing Qurbani in metro cities, more Qurbani takes place in India’s villages than in its cities. Qurbani in India carries special importance too, since India is home to more Muslims than any of its neighbouring countries.

With this many Muslims in India, large-scale Qurbani becomes necessary — and it benefits everyone, not just Muslims. While the act of Qurbani itself is performed by Muslims on Eid-ul-Adha, people across communities are involved in preparing the animals for it. In most markets, in fact, the sellers of Qurbani animals are often Hindu, showing that the Qurbani economy benefits all Indians, not only Muslims.

Qurbani is also an important contributor to the rural economy. Villagers who raise one or more animals for Qurbani each year sell them in nearby markets around Eid-ul-Adha, earning up to lakhs of rupees annually and strengthening their household income. This is an income opportunity that reaches nearly every household in a village, alongside their usual sources of income.

Qurbani in India is usually performed using a goat, though buffalo is also used. Most Qurbani in India takes place in rural areas: performing Qurbani in a metro city takes considerably more effort, while it can be done with comparatively little effort in a village setting.