Rabindranath wakes up Santiniketan in the foggy dawn. His Brahma music is being resounded by the assembled voices in Chatimatla. The ascetics used to worship 7 Paushas. In the words of Rabindranath ‘These are the 7 Paushas, who created this Santiniketan Ashram and are still creating it every day.’ Maharshi Devendranath’s initiation into Brahmanism was on this date. From the inauguration of ‘Shantiniketan Griha’ to the opening day of Paush Mela, the 7th Paush date has been marred by various events. After 5 long years of various turbulent situations, the traditional Paush festival and fair was organized again. Santiniketan was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on September 17 last year. This is the first Poush Mela in World Heritage Santiniketan. How is the arrangement?
About two thousand stalls in this year’s fair
Santiniketan Trust Secretary Anil Konar says, “The trust last organized the fair in 2019. Next year i.e. in 2020, Paush Mela is closed due to Corona. After 4 years, due to the tension of the Visva Bharati authorities, the state government, it was not possible to organize the fair in that way. Naturally, people’s interest around the fair this year is overwhelming. Many traders applied for stalls. But it was not possible to give everyone a stall. Not only that, but now there are about two thousand stalls in the fair ground!”
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Exhibition of students from rural cottage industries
Among the 2000 stalls, there are almost all kinds of stalls in Paush Mela. On one side, artists and artisans from different villages have arranged the stalls of rural cottage industry. Dokra, wood, terracotta products, manihari shops, iron housewares. In the middle of the fair, the entertainment stage is the bowl arena. On the other hand, there are stalls of Biswa Bharati, exhibitions of students of various departments, winter clothes, jewelry, food stalls. Also Nagardola for kids. The use of plastic has been banned in the fair this year. There is a system of bio-toilets in the middle of the fair. Besides, there is a police helpdesk to prevent various untoward incidents including crime.
Special arrangement being heritage
Anil Babu said that special arrangements have been made to become a heritage site. “No stalls are allowed in the part that has been declared heritage. Earlier, there were various stalls on the pavement near the old fair ground. Now they are no more. But sitting on the opposite side of the pavement is the same as before.”
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‘Bandho Badho Bhabh’
Even though the fair was organized in the last few years, it lacked spontaneity. That’s how it came out in the words of an ashram. A vendor decorates the dokra pasar. While standing in front of him and speaking, Pinaki Sen said, “I have been watching fairs since I was a child because I am an alumnus of Pathabhan. The lifeblood of the fair was the spontaneous participation of people. Earlier, the vendors used to arrange stalls in the old fair ground. Even though the fair was smaller in size than the Purvapalli field, everyone participated with an open mind. But I was watching for the last 3-4 years, teachers and students are joining because they have to join. There was a badho badho feeling that finally died down this year.”
‘The tradition of Santiniketan remains intact’
Subalakshmi Goswami was the leader in the movement of students and ashrams against the activities of former vice-chancellor Vidyut Chakraborty. Subalakshmi, a former member of Pathabhan and Kalabhaban, said, “After five years, not only I, but everyone is happy with the organization of the fair. The people of Santiniketan are happy. The organization of this fair was finally possible through various resistance movements. Many people wait for this fair throughout the year. Poor people involved in cottage industry, various hotels and restaurant owners earn income from the fair. In the past few years, they have been in a state of disarray. I hope that the next Vice-Chancellor, who will come, will also respect the tradition of Santiniketan and organize everything.”
Paush Mela in video
Small and multifaceted
Santiniketan post office with multi-faceted mongoose. Many people will remember Shivprasad Mukherjee’s movie by saying Bahurupi. But the children who met at Poush Mela, their story is different. Three little ones — some Shiva, some Parvati in the guise of polymorphism. Their income is by showing the game to the buyers who come to Poush Mela. How much do you earn? Their mother came with a nursing baby in her arms. In the words of a 22-year-old young mother, ‘I get Tk 200-300 every day.’ It is known that the real house is Lovepur. In the words of the young woman, ‘every year comes the time of Paush Mela. I stay here at Khana Junction during fair days. After the fair, I went back home. Dada has been in the habit of coming to this fair since childhood.’
