Village fair is one of the cultural traditions of rural Bengal. The fair brings a tide of joy in the gray, gloomy and monotonous rural life of the people. Once upon a time there was an abundance of grain production in the rural agricultural world. The festival was an integral part of the rural people. Although the contribution of science in the modern age has changed the way of life, the spirit of the festival has not disappeared from the minds of the people. Village fair has occupied its vast range along the way of organizing festivals. And this fair carries the thousand year old cultural heritage of Bengalis.
What is fair
The word fair literally means union. Usually the people of the rural areas gather at the beginning or end of the year or on the occasion of a special day to celebrate various festivals in a special place. This village fair has been closely associated with the culture of Bangladesh since time immemorial. Bangladesh is basically a rural country. Most of the people in this country live in villages. So the village fair is very popular among the villagers.
Origin of the fair
Primitive people believed in various kinds of invisible deities, which is known as primitive religion or anamistic. In ancient times, people sought the help of these invisible deities to protect them from natural disasters, to obtain abundant crops and food. Because of their fictitious beliefs, they would gather at the foot of a mountain, on the bank of a river, or under the shade of a huge tree on the day of the annual harvest. In these places they kept a variety of crops, animals and household items as gifts. Many anthropologists and sociologists believe that the village fair originated from this process of gathering.
Fair Occasions
A general fair serves as a special occasion to be held.
These fairs, which have been around for a long time, are usually held on two occasions.
(1) Religious fairs- Chaitra Sankranti Mela, Rathyatra Mela, Ashtami Mela, Buddhist-Purnima Mela, Maghi Purnima Mela etc. Religious fairs are also held in the name of some miraculous deity, saint, saint and monk.
(2) Secular fairs- New Year, Pahela Boishakh, Poush Mela, Boat Fair, Dragon Show Fair, Book Fair, Cottage Industry Fair etc. The fair is also held in the name of various poets and writers. Such as- Lalon Shah's fair, Madhusudan's fair, poet Jasim Uddin's fair etc. In secular fairs, people forget their differences and come together. They float in the tide of joy.
Preparation of the fair
The people of the village already know when and when the fair will be held. And according to him, all kinds of preparations are going on among the people of the village. The young boys and girls of the village collect money from their parents in advance to spend at the fair. At the center of the fair, the artisans of the area make a variety of items. However, the artisans pay more attention to making toys for the little boys and girls for sale at the fair. Again, those who are the main organizers of the fair have been preparing for a long time. Volunteers were recruited to keep the fair grounds clean and tidy. Shopkeepers have been allocating shops for setting up shops at the fair for a long time. In addition, various preparations are made to entertain the different types of guests who come to the fair.
Place and time of fair
Different types of fairs are held in different parts of Bangladesh. However, all these fairs do not require a specific place like a hat-bazaar. Fair fairs can be set up anywhere. The fair is usually held in the center of the village on a playground, temple precinct, on the bank of a river or under the shade of a large tree. Fairs are organized in these places according to the ancient tradition. Tin sheds are often built in these places for setting up shops. However, after the end of the fair, these sheds were demolished. The traditional fairs in Bangladesh last for one day, one week, fifteen days and some for a month.