Sabala Mela on in New Town
If you feel like shopping over the extended weekend, head to the State Sabala Mela in New Town fairgrounds, next to Biswa Bangla Gate. The fair was inaugurated on Wednesday and will continue till January 28, 2pm to 9pm.
The inauguration saw the likes of Birbaha Hansda, minister of self-help group and self-employment, Pradip Mazumdar, minister of panchayats and rural development, and Sujit Bose, minister of fire and emergency services. Also present were Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation mayor Krishna Chakraborty and chairman Sabyasachi Dutta.
“The name of this fair Sabala indicates that we want women to be sabal or strong, stable and independent. This year, 260 stalls have been set up and we have been extending huge financial support to the women beneficiaries, including loans at nominal rates,” said Ravi Inder Singh, principal secretary of the department.
CHILLI CHOCOLATE Stall: Opposite kids’ corner
What: The bestsellers at this home-made chocolate stall are mango-chilli and paan chocolates. “The mango chilli variant opens with a fruity note but an aftertaste of chilli follows,” says chocolatier Sonali Dutta, who lives opposite Snehodiya in New Town. “The paan chocolate is filled with gulkand. I use white chocolate as the base so the mango’s yellow and the paan’s green can be visible when blended.”
The stall also offers flavours like kunafa, pineapple and rose, and the chocolates are shaped like trees, hearts and the like.
Price: Rs 15–20 per piece
COIN EARRINGS Stall: Next to the food corner
What: “This is old, yet new,” smiles stallkeeper Mala Saha, from Barasat. “Young visitors stare at the coin earrings in disbelief, surprised to learn that denominations once existed in paise rather than rupees. And those who remember these coins from decades ago find them nostalgic.”
The earrings are made using replicas of two and five paisa coins. “They aren’t real coins — they’re made of German silver — but the designs match the originals,” she explains.
Price: Rs 100
SEL ROTI Stall: Food Corner F5
What: These ring-shaped snacks are made of rice, suji and date jaggery, giving them a mildly sweet flavour. “They are served with a spicy sauce made of tomato and peanut, and the two make a tasty combination,” says a vendor from the Alipurduar stall. “Sel roti is a popular dish in north Bengal and Nepal, and is a must at all festive occasions back home.”
Price: Rs 10 a piece
BISCUIT-SHAPED CANDLE Stall: 180
What: This stall offers candles in various shapes and colours, but the most eye-catching one resembles a biscuit partially dipped in an earthen cup of tea. “The candle is scented with saffron. We also make decorative pieces from uncommon items like fish scales, but the tea-and-biscuit candle is our new creation this year,” says Rumpa Guchhait from East Midnapore.
Price: Rs 200
SATYAJIT RAY SARI Stall: 147
What: Goutam Manna has brought silk saris, hand-painted with bold motifs of Rabindranath Tagore, Uttam Kumar and Satyajit Ray. The Ray sari features his portrait, the names of his films, and outlines of iconic images such as Charulata holding her binoculars.
“All the saris carry silk marks, and I usually create only one piece of each design,” says the artisan from East Midnapore. “However, I can customise them and deliver more on order.”
Price: Rs 5,800
