Understanding Bakra Eid and Its Name

Bakri Eid

28/5/2026

In India, Eid al-Adha is commonly referred to as “Bakri Eid.” Given that in our villages, the fate of the letter ‘qaf’ is often like that of honesty in government offices—gradually disappearing—”Bakri Eid” slowly transformed into “Bakra Eid.” The ‘qaf’ vanished like tax from a salary, and the ‘kaf’ settled like a betel stain on a wall.

In our childhood, we believed that since goats are sacrificed during this Eid, it must have been named after these unfortunate animals. After all, in our society, entire streets and squares are named after semi-literate politicians, so why not name the festival after a goat that offers its neck? It doesn’t just make speeches; it performs practical service.

A few days before Eid, a goat would strut through every street as if returning from a hunt. Children would adorn its neck with flowers, feed it chickpeas, stroke its horns, and two days later, the same children would pounce on a plate of stew as if a philosopher had suddenly secured a government job. Human affection is indeed peculiar; as long as the goat is alive, it is “Munno” and “Badshah,” but as soon as the knife strikes, it’s “separate the leg, please!”

The butcher would run his hand over the knife as a poet might twirl his mustache before a recital. The poor goat would stand with such dignity as if unaware that in a few hours, it would be reduced to liver, trotters, and mince.

When I had the opportunity to study Arabic, I learned that the original term is “Baqr Eid,” meaning the “Eid of the Cow.” In Arabic, “Baqr” refers to a cow. Since a cow is a larger animal, it is given the same prominence in the name as a prominent person in the subcontinent, even if their intellect weighs no more than an empty tin can.

But our language is a mischievous girl; it cannot rest until it twists a straightforward matter. “Baqr” first became “Bakr,” and in some regions, it even turned into “Bakri,” as if the entire Eid was entrusted to a feminine animal.

Yesterday, someone earnestly asked, “Sir, if it’s Bakri Eid, why is a goat sacrificed?” It felt as if someone had interrupted a discourse on Kant’s philosophy to ask, “How much sugar should be in the tea?”

The real question is, why isn’t Eid al-Fitr called “Sewaiyan Eid,” even though vermicelli receives more respect that day than constitutions in some countries? So why not call Eid al-Adha by its original name? If the Arabic term seems heavy, the Persian “Eid Qurban” is available, which rolls off the tongue as smoothly as fresh butter on warm bread.

But no! Our nation has the same fascination with words as children with toys. First, they distort the original form, then create new meanings, and finally take pride in it. Thus, “Baqr Eid” first became “Bakr Eid,” then “Bakri Eid.”

If it truly is “Bakri Eid” or “Bakra Eid,” then we should be considered the greatest advocates for “animal rights” in the world. After all, which nation names its festival after animals? Westerners form organizations for dogs and cats, collect donations, hold seminars, while we are so compassionate that we dedicate an entire Eid to goats and sheep!

As if the world says, “These people slaughter animals,” and we respond, “Sir, we do it for one day, but celebrate Eid in their name all year!”

If we extend this logic further, commemorative medals should be issued for sacrificial animals. Perhaps in the future, a “Martyr of Stew Goat Award” will be distributed in some city, and a textbook might declare: “The goat is a loyal animal, silently contributing to the community’s pots every year.”

It wouldn’t be surprising if tomorrow, an emotional speaker declares, “This is not just Eid, but a global day of solidarity with the goat community!”

And if the term “Bakri Eid” is deemed correct, then goats should immediately protest against the gender bias in the festival’s name. After all, they too make sacrifices, so why should the fame go to the goat?

As for the origin of “Baqr Eid,” no authentic research has come to our attention. Research, in our context, is as rare as punctuality in a government office. However, speculation suggests that the term “Baqr Eid” might have arisen in response to “Eid al-Baqr.” The Shia community refers to the ninth of Rabi’ al-Awwal as “Eid al-Baqr.” One meaning of “Baqr” is to cut open, and this name is associated with certain historical and religious concepts.

The Evolution of Eid Terminology

It is possible that Sunni scholars began referring to “Eid al-Adha” as “Baqra Eid” to counter the connotations of “Eid al-Baqar,” ensuring that the word “Baqr” would direct the mind towards the cow, rather than elsewhere. However, language is like an unbridled horse; once it gallops into the public domain, even the combined efforts of all the lexicons cannot rein it in. The result was that “Baqra Eid” evolved into “Bakra Eid” and then “Bakri Eid,” as if a single word had spawned an entire family tree.

The truth is that we should remember this grand Islamic tradition by the names that Islam itself has bestowed: “Eid al-Adha” or “Eid al-Qurban.” These are the dignified, accurate, and comprehensive names. Otherwise, observing the pace at which our colloquial language evolves, there is a fear that future generations might start calling it the “Liver Festival” or “Qorma Day,” and then some researcher might write a Ph.D. on the linguistic impacts of Eid al-Adha on the evolution of “Nihari Culture” in the subcontinent.