A Village Fair
A village fair is an annual affair in rural Bangladesh. It is generally held on the occasion of some religious festivals or some local important events. It is an occasion for show, sale of various goods and entertainments.
A village fair generally sits on the bank of a river, or a big canal or tank. Some fairs also sit in an open field under a big ancient tree or in the market place, or in the yard of a temple or by the side of a big road.
A village fair serves as a sort of exhibition of village products. Things of many kinds and tastes are brought here for show and sale. Potters, carpenters, blacksmiths, and weavers sell their hand made goods. Generally children gather around the stalls that sell sweets, toys and balloons and women are attracted mainly by those stalls that sell artificial jewelry, earthenwares, brassware iron ware sharees etc.
A village fair is an occasion of great joy and excitement among the villagers. Circus, magic shows, merry-go-rounds mockfights, jarigan jatra etc. are arranged in the fair. Circus parties often bring their trained small tigers, elephants, monkeys, horses, and bears to show funny feats. However the largest crowd gathers in the jatra pandal.
The village fair has demerits too. Gambling parties come here and entice innocent people to take part in gambling Cheats, pick-pockets, criminals and village mastans come to the fair and commit various kinds of evil deeds. Sometimes children are lost and this causes great anxiety for the parents. A village fair also creates insanitary conditions. Sweet stalls are open. There is no shed over them. Flies sit on the sweet and dust falls on them. People buy these sweets and eat them. As a result there is every chance of the out break of cholera and dysentery.
A village fair is very useful and important. It removes the monotony of life and brings joys to the
Villagers. It helps a man to forget his sorrows and sufferings for the time being. People meet their and kin and mix with a variety of people.
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