Sumarwan says he is one of only two people in this area of North Jakarta able to give cattle massages for the major holiday in the Islamic calendar.
His cow salon is tucked inside an underpass that has become a makeshift livestock market, where sellers trade hundreds of cows and goats.
As trucks and trailers thunder by on the motorway overhead, the animals look unbothered.
But the market’s location is ideal despite the traffic, Sumarwan said, sheltered by the overpass from Jakarta’s tropical heat and spurts of heavy rain.
“One of the requirements for a cow to be sacrificed is that the animal has to be healthy,” he added.
For a cow that looks unhealthy, Sumarwan applies a balm usually reserved for humans.
“SOMETHING UNIQUE”
The makeshift market is one of many spread around Jakarta selling animals for the Muslim ritual, when livestock are slaughtered and the meat is shared with the poor.
Kastono, Sumarwan’s boss, has run his animal sacrifice business for 15 years, bringing livestock from Central Java to sell in Jakarta.
“This year, we bring 50 cows and 120 goats. We usually start selling 25 days before Eid al-Adha,” said Kastono, who employs 10 workers.
A cow weighing 250kg can sell between 20 million rupiah and 27.5 million rupiah (US$1,225 and US$1,685), according to Kastono’s wife Meta.
And keeping the animals healthy and happy is important for business.
