It was beyond my grasp when my father introduced me to a folk fair during my childhood. To me, the arrangement of people having all sorts of fun in flocks, in a setting that could only be compared to a dream full of happiness was like magic. In the little brain of mine, the yet unfathomable positive energy and spirit of people living, breathing, and enjoying was hypnotizing. As far as I can remember, me watching everything unfold before my eyes and having cotton candy while standing in between the ferry’s wheel and puppet show stall is what I can clearly recall being awestruck for the very first time in my life. To me, fair sparked joy.
However, as I grew older, I realized a fair is not just a festival and arrangement that makes people happy. It is much more than that. It is a reflection of our culture and tradition. From the Bengali month of Hemanta to Chaitra, you will always find a fair almost every month in some part of our country. It’s rooted in our tradition; weaved as though it is an active part of our culture itself. And you will be fascinated by the arrangement surrounding all these fairs the most. Having that said, here are some of the most popular folk fairs in Bangladesh that are also culturally impactful.
Baishakhi Fair
Among all the different fairs in Bangladesh, the Baishakhi fair is the most popular one. It is all-embracing. It is the source of our ever-growing Bengali sentiment; a spontaneous outburst of joy and happiness. It is organized on the first day of the Bengali new year across Bangladesh both on a small or large scale. However, the Bashakhi fair of Kandirpar in Comilla is the most noteworthy. Local agricultural products, handicrafts, folk items, cottage items, and clay items are the main attractions of this fair.
Folk Art and Handicraft fair
This is also amongst the most celebrated fairs in Bangladesh. The Folk Art and Handicraft fair is arranged every year during the middle of January in Narayanganj. Held on the courtyard of Bangladesh Folk Art & Crafts Foundation in Sonargaon, this month-long fair is one of the biggest fairs in Bangladesh. In this folk fair, artists from across the country present themselves with different types of folk arts, handicrafts, and other traditional items. Besides, many people come here specifically to purchase different types of Dhakai Jamdani and various types of Nakshi Kantha.
Bou-Mela under the Banyan tree
This Bou-Mela has been organized for decades centering on the 400 years old banyan tree in Narayanganj. On the 2nd day of Baishakh, the women devotees of the Hindu religion worship the banyan tree in hopes of good health, happiness, and peace. It is amongst the oldest fairs in Bangladesh that has still been arranged successfully to this day.
Fair of Langalband
During the 2nd or 8th phase of the moon in every Bengali month of Chaitra, the devotees of the Hindu religion gather around in Brahmaputra River in the Bandar area of Langalband in Narayanganj for a holy bath. Centering on this occasion, a three-day fair is held on both banks of the Brahmaputra.
Lalan Fair
Lalon fair is organized twice a year centering on the tomb of the mystic artist Lalon Sai in the Cheuriya village of Kumarkhali sub-division of Kushtia. One of them is organized on the occasion of the death anniversary of Lalon Sanji. And the other one is arranged on the occasion of the sainthood introduced by Lalon in Dolpurnima.
Ras fair
Rasmela (Ras fair) is held every year on the full moon day of Kartik-Agrahayan in Dublar Char of Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world. Many Hindu devotees and tourists flocked from different parts of the country and abroad to participate in the festival. On this occasion, a five-day fair is also held at Dublar Char. The fair has been going on since 1923.
Ras Leela Fair
Ras Leela, the main religious festival of the Manipuri community, is celebrated on the full moon day of Kartik Agrahayan in Kamalganj and Adampur, two upazilas bordering the Moulvibazar district of Sylhet. This is one of many reasons why many people love Sylhet so much. On this occasion, a three-day fair is held in Madhabpur of Kamalganj and the Sanathakur Mandap area of Adampur.
Gurpukur fair
This traditional fair of the Satkhira region of Bangladesh is more than 300 years old. According to the Bengali calendar, this fair is held at the end of the Bengali month of Bhadra centering on the worship of Manasa. This fair goes on for a month.
Poradaha Mela
This exceptional fair has been held on the banks of Ichhamati River in the Golabari area of the Mahishaban union of Gabtali upazila for 25 years. The two-day fair is held on the last Wednesday of the month of Magh every year. The main attraction of this fair is all sorts of big fish that the merchants bring to sell.
Madhu fair
A week-long Madhu fair is held every year at Sagardari in Keshabpur upazila of Jessore district. The fair is organized on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the great poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt; the pioneer of Amitrakshara rhyme in Bengali literature.
Rath fair
Usually, the Rath fair is held in the last week of the month of Ashar in the Bengali year. This is one of the significant fairs that the devotees of Hindu religion organize every year. The biggest rath fair is held at Dhamrai in Savar. Besides, Rathkhola fair of Kushtia, Rath fair of Puthia of Rajshahi, Lamapara Rath Yatra Fair of Sylhet are notable.
Other special fairs
In Chittagong, a week-long fair is held on the banks of Laldighi on the occasion of Jabbar’s ball game. Srimangal is home to the ethnic Khasia, Manipuri, Santal, Tipra, and Garo communities. Every year the ‘Fagua Festival’, the ‘Baisu Festival’ of the Tipras, the ‘Ras Festival’ of the Manipuris and the ‘Wangala Festival’ of the Garos are celebrated blissfully in the tea gardens.
How the Bengali fairs have survived
By definition, a fair means a festive arrangement of people buying and selling goods centering on religious or other special occasions at a specific time and a place. However, the arrangement that we call “Fair” can never be defined as simply in the context of Bangladesh. Because our fairs have also played a role in shaping our society and in many ways helped to develop our rich culture over the years. That is why while some people visit them to purchase things, others visit to embrace the culture and celebrate it. And for kids studying in high school in the 90’s, the memories of visiting the fair and having fun might hold a special place in their hearts since these kinds of fairs were more prevalent at that time.
Although there are a variety of modern fairs in Bangladesh, they couldn’t diminish the popularity of traditional Bengali fare. And this local tradition which we call “Mela” is expected to survive for years in Bengali folk culture and urban culture.
