A Visit to a Village Fair
A village fair is an exhibition of handicrafts and agricultural products made by the rural folk. Traders and craftsmen gathered there with their whole stock of wares for sale.
Last year, I, along with two other friends, paid a visit to this fair. Men and children from all walks of life gathered there. All the people from neighboring villages came to the fair. There were a hue and cry. The noise of the surrounding place was deafening. The crowd was, indeed, so large that we had to make’ our way with great difficulty from one stall to another. There were different kinds of stalls here, there, and everywhere. The fair was held in a large field under the open sky. The stalls were made in tents. This fair is held once a year. It is very important and attractive for the villagers, especially for the children. The most interesting thing is that even the aged people came in the fair to feel the thrill.
We were amazed to see the hand-made things. Rural artisans and craftsmen brought various useful articles and offered for sale. Some stalls were selling fancy goods, some were selling toys, some were spices, while some were metal utensils or stationery articles. Agricultural products, grocery, and seasonal fruits were also sold at the fair. Among the fancy goods, there were dolls, ribbons, whistles, fans, magic wares, small looking-glasses, etc were being sold. The most crowded shops and stalls were the sweetmeats ones. People were enjoying cakes and sweetmeats. They also bought many household necessaries such as earthen pitchers, plates, lamp sticks, bowls, and so forth. Artisans came with their flutes, kites, pottery, and toys. Children were especially attracted to the stalls of toys. We were charmed to see the earthenware and wooden articles. The place assumed a huge festivity in the evening. Men, women, and children came and cheered with joy.
In another part of the fair, we saw arrangements for amusement. Magicians, snake-charmers, and sweet makers also appeared and stayed in their tents at the fair place. We found the circus show, magic show, puppet show, and Jatra-party. The largest crowd gathered around the place where jugglers showed their feats. The magicians played amazing tricks and the snake charmers charmed the snakes as well as the viewers with their fearless skill. But in the corner of another part, some people were busy with gambling. This site, to some extent, filled our minds with dissatisfaction.
In the evening the fair was a colorful pilgrimage crisscrossed with lights and shadows. Villagers usually long for such an occasion. The Government should encourage such kind of fair for the promotion of rural art and craft. At last, we left the fair with a happy mood. It looked deserted after the hours of enjoyment and thrill.
