The question lurking in the minds of residents since December was finally answered on February 20 with the opening of Bidhannagar Mela (Utsav) at Central Park.
The popular fair usually takes place around the yearend but this winter’s edition is happening now. It shall continue till March 12, from 3pm to 9pm. Till Wednesday, however, visitors were disappointed to see that most stalls had yet to open.
That the heat is a concern is clear from the fact that the stage area has been converted into an air-conditioned tent. “This will also help curb the sound. Board exams are on and we have spent a good amount of money on sound-limiting equipment to ensure sound does not seep out of this hall,” said mayor Krishna Chakraborty.
Secretary of the fair committee, Rajesh Chirimar, said they were expecting tolerable weather till Holi so the fair’s timings should still be pleasant. “This fair is a fixed festival for residents of Salt Lake and we’re sure they will come anyway. The mayor has said next year preparations shall be made beforehand so it can be held before the book fair. This year we had to rush and we extend our gratitude to everyone who has helped with logistics,” he said.
The fair had got pushed out of the calendar in winter as the 2024 general elections caused Board exams to be brought forward; consequently the dates for the International Kolkata Book Fair got advanced and overlapped with the usual duration of Bidhannagar Mela. The book fair now takes place at the same venue as the latter - Central Park. The chief minister has, in fact, renamed the ground as Boi Mela Prangan.
Chhou dancers at the opening of the fair on Tuesday
“But the chief minister knows how popular our fair is and told me it should not be cancelled,” said Chakraborty.
“This fair is famous and glamorous and must be the best among urban fairs,” said member of parliament, Saugata Roy, at the opening. Also present was minister Shashi Panja, who said the fair was a platform to help artisans and satisfy customers. Sujit Bose, minister and local MLA, called it the prestige of West Bengal.
The fair has more than 500 stalls, including some by self-help groups. There are food courts, children’s amusement zones, and an international section with stalls from countries like Turkey, Ghana, Thailand, and Bangladesh. The ground will be thermocol and plastic-free and under CCTV surveillance.
“Senior citizens will be felicitated, flowers will be exhibited and as for cultural programmes, we received more than 2,000 applications, of which we are trying to accommodate as many as possible,” said the mayor.
“Everyone’s talking of the heat, but then in winter, there are Saras, Sabala, Boi Mela and so many more fairs that you can’t attend them all. Bidhannagar Mela (Utsav) is decidedly the only fair on at the moment so everyone should come,” said Sabyasachi Dutta, chairperson of the Corporation.
