The Id-ul-Fitr and Rath Yatra holiday in the last weekend gave a gorgeous look to the Sarat Sadan premises. What is usually a place for adda on weekends for residents of Howrah Maidan and adjoining areas, turned into a shopping destination for those in the festive mood. The ‘Rath Mela O Id Utsav’ organised by the Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) at Sarat Sadan that started from July 10 and will continue till August 9, attracted huge crowds during the festive weekend on July 18 and 19.
The mela has grown in size and space since last year, making the Sarat Sadan compound seem too small. By evening on Sunday, there was hardly any space to stand. As the crowds swelled, organiser Jiban Krishna Roy, looked up and prayed that the skies did not open up. “The rains on the day before Id-ul-Fitr and Rath Yatra had spoilt the mela mood. I have put a protective cover over all the stalls this time, so that people do not get wet if it starts raining heavily,” said Roy. There are 50 stalls at the fair this year.
Jewellery, plastics, toys, crockeries, steel utensils, furniture, saris and even kitchen appliances found place at the fair. A young vendor attracted customers to his stall selling cups for Rs 10 and 20. He passed on a basket to the buyers to pick their choice of cups. Jute shopping bags and handbags for ladies sell well in any fair and there were a few stalls with a variety of these. Jute bags worth Rs 60 and Rs 100 had a number of takers at one stall.
Gold-plated jewellery, fancy costume jewellery always find buyers. Beaded jewellery with dokra pendants came for a pocket pinch of Rs 240. Terracotta jewellery, crystal beads and other colourful items worth Rs 50 drew young girls who crowded around the stalls and bargained hard. Roti-makers and grinders were on display at the fair. A few interested customers watched as the sales executive deftly slid out chapattis from the roti-maker.
A new addition this year are bookstalls. A few stalls selling different kinds of books drew some customers. At the corner of the row of stalls stood Padma Mitra, a septuagenarian, who had a variety of titles laid out on a table. She was reluctant to reveal her identity as the writer and smiled when asked. She has written books on her own life experiences, some funny, some serious, including a cookbook for novices. “I was a school teacher and I used to write whenever I had the time. Instead of asking for new clothes during Durga Puja, I would ask my husband to publish my books for me. I would try to sell them on my own. But since I lost my husband this year, I come to melas like this to sell my books and make some money,” said Mitra.
Food has a special place at all melas. Jalebis fried fresh always attract buyers, but fire restrictions forced the organisers to fry the jalebis outside the premises. Bijoli Grill has come with its plethora of fried items. However, jhalmuri, bhelpuri and phuchka will always have their loyal customers. The garden has the rides for kids. A giant wheel, bouncing castle, merry-go-round and toy train rides had queues in front of them through the evening.
