Inside a "cow massage parlor" next to a highway in Jakarta, Somarwan strikes the legs of a brown cow with his hands to prepare it in the best way before it is offered as a sacrifice for Eid al-Adha. The 45-year-old man says, "If I hit it like this, it will feel relaxed because it knows I'm doing it for its benefit." The two-year-old cow is expected to be in the best condition to be sold as a sacrifice for Eid al-Adha, which falls on Tuesday in Indonesia. Somarwan points out that he is one of only two people who practice cow massage in an area located north of Jakarta. The punches he delivers to the animal may seem violent, but the cow trusts him, according to him. He states, "If someone else does it, the cow might get angry because it will feel like it is being hurt."
Somarwan uses a specific product meant for humans on any cow that appears to be in poor health, to expedite its healing process. The "masseur" claims that "one of the conditions for offering the cow as a sacrifice is that it must be in good health." His parlor is located in an underpass that has become a temporary livestock market, where hundreds of cows and goats are sold. The animals do not seem disturbed by the fast-moving trucks and trailers above. Although the traffic creates significant noise, Somarwan believes that the location of his parlor is ideal, as it protects him from Jakarta's tropical heat and heavy rains.
This livestock market is one of many centered around Jakarta, selling animals for Islamic rituals, where the animal is slaughtered, and its meat distributed to the needy. Kastuno has been running his company, specializing in transporting livestock from central Java to sell in the capital Jakarta, for 15 years. Kastuno, who employs ten workers, says, "This year we transported 50 cows and 120 goats. We usually start selling them 25 days before Eid al-Adha." The price of a 250-kilogram cow ranges between 20 million to 27.5 million rupiah (about 1200 to 1700 dollars), according to his wife Meta.
