By Anubha Bist, X, CJM
A village fair may not be the perfect destination for most of the city dwellers who amidst their busy schedule consider village fairs insignificant. I belonged to the same category of city dwellers until I got the opportunity to visit a fair in a village called Johri Gaon situated at the foothills of the Shiwaliks.
The very thought of visiting a village fair seemed very absurd to me. But after much hesitation and a tiring half an hour walk, I finally reached the annual Johri Gaon fair. It had been organized by the local village Panchayat for the promotion of handicrafts and rural trade.The entrance to the fair was very captivating as it was lined with beautiful flowers. Intricate rangoli designs decorated with earthen lamps illuminated the passage. As soon as I entered the fair, the ambience and aroma of various traditional delicacies triggered my senses and taste buds. I then headed for a stroll across the lanes of stalls put up by the villagers which made me realize that the fair was indeed a treat for the eyes. The stalls displayed a variety of items ranging from lehangas, scarves, overcoats, caps and gloves to various decorations and handicrafts such as carpets, pottery, jewellery, and other artifacts. The colour schemes and designing of the various articles was unique and mesmerizing. In addition to the stalls, there were numerous sports activities like kabaddi, wrestling, and cock fighting going on in the fair and attracted spectators. The village heads were busy promoting the various commodities that were to be exported. The local dance troupe of the village performed a traditional Nepali dance with one of a kind choreography followed by a group of folk singers who sang melodies that revealed ancient tales connected to the village. The centre of attraction of the village of fair was the Trader’s Welfare section that promoted rural trade among the villagers dealing with cattle, spices, pulses and other food grains. There were various food stalls as well that displayed an array of mouth watering eatables ranging from exotic pickles, finger licking chat and gulab jamuns that attracted the visitors. The villagers were very hospitable and fun loving. The village fair thus served as a hot spot for rural trade to flourish improving the economy of the village.
The visit to the annual Johri Gaon fair was truly a life time experience for me. It did not just prove my ideology about village life completely wrong but also made me experience the rural life, leaving an indelible impression on me.
The very thought of visiting a village fair seemed very absurd to me. But after much hesitation and a tiring half an hour walk, I finally reached the annual Johri Gaon fair. It had been organized by the local village Panchayat for the promotion of handicrafts and rural trade.The entrance to the fair was very captivating as it was lined with beautiful flowers. Intricate rangoli designs decorated with earthen lamps illuminated the passage. As soon as I entered the fair, the ambience and aroma of various traditional delicacies triggered my senses and taste buds. I then headed for a stroll across the lanes of stalls put up by the villagers which made me realize that the fair was indeed a treat for the eyes. The stalls displayed a variety of items ranging from lehangas, scarves, overcoats, caps and gloves to various decorations and handicrafts such as carpets, pottery, jewellery, and other artifacts. The colour schemes and designing of the various articles was unique and mesmerizing. In addition to the stalls, there were numerous sports activities like kabaddi, wrestling, and cock fighting going on in the fair and attracted spectators. The village heads were busy promoting the various commodities that were to be exported. The local dance troupe of the village performed a traditional Nepali dance with one of a kind choreography followed by a group of folk singers who sang melodies that revealed ancient tales connected to the village. The centre of attraction of the village of fair was the Trader’s Welfare section that promoted rural trade among the villagers dealing with cattle, spices, pulses and other food grains. There were various food stalls as well that displayed an array of mouth watering eatables ranging from exotic pickles, finger licking chat and gulab jamuns that attracted the visitors. The villagers were very hospitable and fun loving. The village fair thus served as a hot spot for rural trade to flourish improving the economy of the village.
The visit to the annual Johri Gaon fair was truly a life time experience for me. It did not just prove my ideology about village life completely wrong but also made me experience the rural life, leaving an indelible impression on me.
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