Aweful anecdotes of goat-sellers in Dashain

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
KATHMANDU: September 24

Like previous years, Khadga Bahadur Shrestha, 38, a resident of Gajuri-1 in Dhading district, is once again here in the capital for about a week along with a pair of goats.

He desperately hopes to get lucky like last year and make a few thousands before heading back to his village to celebrate this Dashain. But as of Thursday, his sacrificial goats remained unsold, dampening his Dashain prospects.

It is not only Shrestha, but many other residents of adjoining districts of the Kathmandu Valley, who had come here to collect some amount to celebrate Dashain, have not been able to sell their castrated goats.

“It’s been a decade I have been selling goats. However, this is the first time I am unable to sell a single goat,” he revealed.

Such is the case of many other street goat sellers who can be spotted in Balkhu, Bhrikuti Mandap, Bagbazaar and New Bus Park areas.

“We’re here for a couple of days waiting for the prospective goat buyers, but to no avail,” said Jeet Bahadur Ghale, another farmer from Nuwakot district, who is seen along with Shrestha at Balkhu.

“It seems I should return empty handed,” he said. According to him, people just come and ask the price and start bargaining with a huge margin.

“We take back our goats to home if they cannot be sold in appropriate rate,” Ghale said. He has brought eight goats - among which four were purchased in the village and four were reared by himself.

“People out here offer just Rs 250 per kg of live goat while per kg of mutton in the market is above Rs 450,” he lamented.

Consumer Nabin Puri, who was searching for a goat for about four hours in the market, said that the rate of the goat was increased this year. “Last year, the goats were being sold at the rate of Rs 190 per kg but Rs 300 has been fixed for the same this year,” said Puri, an office staffer in the capital.

Raj Kumar Lama, 32, a seller stationed at Baghbazaar, said that they were forced to sell the goats at cheaper price than they purchased. Lama and his four friends had brought 37 goats, hoping that they would sell quickly as in previous years. “We’re very disappointed this time. Not a single goat has been sold out yet,” he said. “If

I can’t sell them by Saturday, I’ll take the goats back home.”
Lama said that they pay Rs 5 each goat to the Kathmandu Metropolitan City for keeping in the street. “During night time, we pay Rs 15 per goat to the school for providing room,” he added.

Bhim Bahadur Bhale, 65, from Kampur in Dhading, said that they just sold five of 25 goats they brought in here. “If we’re unable to sell them off now, then we’ll come back here again in Tihar, the second biggest festival of Hindus.”