Kolkata bazaars

In pictures: What makes a visit to Bhai Khan Pirer Mela in Howrah’s Singti an absolute must for every crab lover

From tiny leopard crabs to giant jumbo crabs, this village fair will not let you return empty-handed for sure

By My Kolkata Web Desk | Published 27.01.24, 01:49 PM

The first day of the Bengali month of Magh (mid-January) witnesses a unique fair called ‘Bhai Khan Pirer Mela’ at Singti, approximately 55km west of Kolkata. The annual event is said to be 500 years old and is undoubtedly the biggest fair in Howrah district. You have to reach Udaynarayanpur first and then take a 10-minute autorickshaw ride to Singti

All photographs by S Satyajit

At least 200 wholesale crab-sellers come to the fair with their catch of different sizes of crabs from the Sunderbans, Canning, Hasnabad and Kakdwip, while an estimated 50,000 people, mostly from nearby villages and other districts, attend this one-day festival

From tiny leopard crabs to giant jumbo crabs, the crab-sellers hawk their fare from early morning till sundown. The smaller crabs are sold for Rs 300-400 per kg, the medium-sized for Rs 600-1,000 per kg and the jumbo ones for up to Rs 2,000 per kilo

A street like a potato field or a crab alley is lined with fishing nets. Shops selling bamboo, cane-woven dhama-kulos, fruits and other items also come up

People fom faraway villages come dressed in all kinds of bright clothes to add to the hustle and bustle of the fair. Public announcements are made for lost partners over loudspeakers even as buyers haggle with sellers to strike the best deals

It is believed that most buyers take the delicious-looking crabs home for personal consumption and not for resale. They store the purchased crabs in earthen pots to consume over a period of time

Over the years, the cane and the wicker baskets have given way to boxes made of thermocol for varied factors

Though the fair is extremely popular locally, not too many people from Kolkata frequent it. So mark January 15, 2025, the date on which the first day of the Magh month falls next year, and head for Singti for a unique experience

Tags: Kolkata bazaars crab Seafood Howrah Domjur Winter Fairs Village Fairs Photography