Whose Animals? Activities of Slaughterhouses in Agra Region under Colonial Rule (1900-1950)

Slaughterhouses are the main raw material source of Leather industry. The leather is a hide or skin prepared from the pelts of domestic and wild animals by processing with either the bark or fruits of certain trees and shrubs, or some mineral salt, or some chemicals process. These agents are called tanning material. Slaughterhouses provide raw hides and skins to produce leather in the leather industry. Agra slaughterhouses played a vital role in the development of leather industry in United Provinces with their valuable raw material. Govt. of United provinces sanctioned and improved many slaughterhouses in Agra region for development of leather industry in this important province. This paper explores the work with the condition of animals in colonial India and tells about the history of the slaughterhouses in Agra. This paper shows the problems of colonial governments in handling the unsatisfactory condition of slaughterhouses and the uncivilized practice of flaying animals. This paper explores how the animal rather than man became a crucial agent in the colonial government in the history of Agra. This paper refocused on the laws and bye-laws were made by the colonial government in the reference of Agra slaughterhouses and improving the activities occurred in slaughterhouses. This paper argues that whose animals were slaughtered in the slaughterhouses or in other words who gave the authority to slaughter such of animals for human consumption as a food.