A Village Fair

A Village Fair

(G wf‡jR †dqvi-GKwU MÖvg¨ †gjv)

A village fair (G wf‡jR †dqvi-GKwU MÖvg¨ †gjv) is a large (jvR©-wekvj) gathering (M¨v`vwis-mgv‡ek) of men (g¨vb-cyiæ‡li), women (DB‡gBb-gwnjv‡`i) and children (wPj‡Wªb-ev”Pv‡`i) on a particular (cvwU©Kzjvi-mywbw`ó) occasion (A‡KBkvb-Abyôv‡b). It is a hilarious (wnjvwiqvm-Drdzjø) annual (GwbDqvj-evwl©K) meeting place (wgwUs †cøm-mvÿv‡Zi ¯’vb) of the village people (wf‡jR wccj-MÖvg¨ †jvK‡`i). It is like a mirror (wgii-Avqbv) that (`¨vU-hv) reflects (wid‡jKU-cÖwZdwjZ K‡i) the emblem (Bgeøvg-cÖZxK) of rural life (iæivj jvBd-MÖvg¨ Rxeb). It brings (wewism-wb‡q Av‡m)  a chance (Pvbm-my‡hvM) in the monotonous(g‡bv‡Uvbvm-GK‡N‡qgx) life of the villagers (wf‡jRvim-MÖvgevmx‡`i). People of all ages (wccj Ad Aj G‡Rm-me eq‡mi gvbyl) specially (‡¯úkvwj-we‡kl K‡i) the children (wPj‡Wªb-ev”Pviv) eagerly (BMviwj-AvMÖnmnKv‡i) wait (I‡qU-A‡cÿv K‡i) for this happy occasion (I‡Kkvb-Abyôv‡b).

A village fair(G wf‡jR †dqvi-GKwU MÖvg¨ †gjv) is usually (BDRyqvwj-mvaviYZ) held (‡njW-AbywôZ nq) once (Abm-GKevi) or twice (`yAvBm-`yBevi) a year either (AvB`vv(i)-`yB‡qi †h‡Kvb GKwU) on the first (dv©÷-cÖ_g) or (Ai-A_ev) the last day (w` jvm&&&U †W-‡kl w`b) of Bengali year (‡eOMwj Bqvi-evsjv eQ‡ii). It is also held (‡njW-AbywôZ nq) on the occasion (A‡KBRb-mgq) of some (mvg-wKQz) religious (wiwjwRqvm-agx©q) or (Ai-A_ev) national festival (b¨vkbvj †dmwUf¨vj-RvZxq Drme). It is generally (‡Rbviwj-mvaviYZ) held (‡njW-AbywôZ nq) in the central part (‡mbUªvj-‡K›`ªfv‡M) of the village (wf‡jR-MÖv‡g) or on the bank (Ab w` e¨vsK-Zx‡i) of a river (Ad G wifvi-b`xi) or in front of (Bb d›U Ad-mvg‡b) a Temple (Ugcj-gw›`i) or a Dargah (`M©v) or under the spreading big banyan tree (Avb`vi w` ‡¯úªwWs weM e¨vwbAvb wUª-wekvj eU Mv‡Qi bx‡P).

A village fair (G wf‡jR †dqvi-GKwU MÖvg¨ †gjv) is an exhibition (GKwmweDkb-cÖ`©kbx) of the village products (wf‡jR cÖvWv±-MÖvg¨cb¨). The people of different (wWd‡i›U-wewfbœ) professions (cÖ‡dkvb-‡ckvi) in the village (wf‡jR-MÖv‡g) such as (mvm G¨vR-‡hgb) a patterns(c¨vUbm-bKkv Kiv), carpenters(KvwcbUv(i)-KvVwgw¯¿), blacksmiths (eøvKw¯§_-Kvgvi), weavers (I‡qfvim-ZvZx) etc (G¨vU‡mUiv-cÖf…wZ). bring (wewis-wb‡q Av‡m) their (‡`qvi-Zv‡`i) own (Ib-wb‡R‡`i) hand made (n¨vbW †gW-nv‡Zi ˆZwi) articles (AvwU©©‡Kjm-wRwbmcÎ) for sell (‡mj-wewµi Rb¨) and display (wWm‡cøB-cÖ`©kbxi Rb¨).

There is a great (‡MÖU-eo) assemblage (A¨v‡mgweøR-mgvnvi/mgvMg) of fancy goods (‡dbwm ¸Wm-AvK©lYxq wRwbmcÎ) such as (mvm G¨vR-‡hgb) toys (U‡qR-‡Ljbv), whistles (DBmj-evwuk), combs (‡KŠg-wPiæwb), hair pins (‡nqvi wcb-Pz‡ji wcb), cheap ornaments (wPc Ab©v‡gbU-m¯Ív AjOKvi), cosmetics (Km‡gwUKm), looking glasses (jwKs Møvm), earthen wares (Av_©‡_b Iqvim-gvwUi wRwbmcÎ), balloons (e¨vjybm-‡ejyb) etc (G¨vU‡mUiv-cÖf…wZ). in the fair (Bb w` †dqvi-‡gjvq).

Different kinds (wWc‡i›U KvBÛ-wewfbœ ai‡bi) of household goods (nvDR †nŠì ¸Wm-N‡ii wRwbmcÎ) and decorated (‡W‡Kvi‡UW-mw¾Z) and painted (‡c‡›UW-is‡eis‡qi) articles (Avw©U‡Kjm-wRwbmcÎ) of bamboo (e¨vgey-ev‡kui), wood (DW-Kv‡Vi) and cane (‡KBb-‡e‡Zi) are also brought (‡eªvU-wb‡q Av‡m) for sale (‡mj-wewµi Rb¨).

Various kinds (‡fwiqvm KvBbWm-wewfbœ ai‡bi) of sweet meats (mBUm wgUm-wgóvbœ Lvevi) and seasonal fruits (wmRbvj d«U-djmvgMÖ) are also available (G‡ejG‡ej-mPivPi cvIqv hvq) here (wnqvi-GLv‡b). Everybody (GfwiewW-cÖ‡Z¨‡K) buys (evwqm-µq K‡i) things (w_sKm-wRwbmcÎ) after (AvdUvi-c‡i) his own choice (wnR Ib P‡qR-wbR¯^ cQ›`).

A village fair(G wf‡jR †dqvi-GKwU MÖvg¨ †gjv) is a place of joy (G †cøBm Ad Rq-Avb‡›`i ¯’vb) and pleasure (‡cøRv(i)-my‡Li) for the villagers (di w` wf‡jRvim-MÖvgevmx‡`i). As such some special (mvg G‡¯úkvj-we‡kl) and attractive (GvUUªvKwUf-AvKl©Yxq) arrangements (A¨v‡ibR‡g›U-Av‡qvRb) are made (Avi †gW-‰Zwi Kiv nq) in the fair (Bb w` †dqvi-‡gjvq) to attract (&A¨vU¨vKU-AvKl©Y Kivi Rb¨) and amuse (AvwgDR-Av‡gvw`Z K‡i) the visitors (wfwRUim-cwi`k©K‡`i). Circus (mvBKvm),

Magic show (g¨vwRK †kv), Jatra (hvÎv) and Jarigan (RvwiMvb) are the chief (wPc-cÖavb) attractions (&A¨vU¨vKUkvbm-AvKl©Y of them (Ad †`g-Zv‡`i‡K) in the fair (&Bb w` †dqvi-‡gjvq). Merry-go-rounds (‡gwi †Mv ivDbW), puppet shows (cv‡cU †mvm-cyZz‡ji bvP), mock fights (‡gvK dvBU-Kwe Mvb), the lotteries (jUvwim) etc. are some other (mvg Av`vi-Ab¨b¨) special attractions (‡¯úkvj  &A¨vU¨vKUkvbm-we‡kl AvK©lb) of the fair.

The village fair has some drawbacks (Wªe¨vK-Ac~Y©Zv/Amweav/evav) too. As it lacks in (j¨vKm –Afve) arrangements (Av‡ibR‡g›Um-Av‡qvRbmg~n) for proper (‡cÖvcvi-mwVK) sanitation (m¨vwb‡UBkb-¯^v¯’e¨e¯’v), it sometimes (mvgUvBgm-gv‡Sgv‡S) leads (wjWm-cwiPvwjZ nq) to the outbreak (AvDU‡eªK-cÖv`yfve©) of epidemics (Gwc‡WwgK-gnvgvix).

The gambling parties(M¨vgewjs cvwU©m-R~qvix `j) in the village fair (Bb w` wf‡jR †dqvi-MÖvg¨ †gjvq) tell upon (‡Uj Avcb-ÿwZ K‡i) the morality (givwjwU-‰bwZKZvi) of the village people (Ad w` wf‡jR wccj-MÖv‡gi gvby‡li), besides (wemvBWm-GQvovI) subjecting (mve‡RKwUs-Aaxb) them to economic loss (BKbwgK jR-A_©‰bwZK ÿwZ). Moreover (‡gvi Ifvi-GQvovI), undesirable (Avb‡Wwmiv‡ej-AcÖZ¨vwkZ) people (wccj-RbmvaviY) and criminals (wµwgbvj-`ylK…ZKvixiv) visit (wfwRU-Av‡m) the fair and commit (KvwgU-NUvq) various kinds (‡fwihvm KvBbWm-wewfbœ ai‡bi) of mischief (wgmPxd-AcKg©/Awbó/ÿwZ/AcKvi).

Rural people (iæivj wccj-MÖv‡gi gvbyl) are deprived (wWcÖvBfW-ewÂZ nq) of different kinds (wWdv‡ibU KvBbWm-wewfbœ ai‡bi) of amenities (A¨vwgbvwUm-bvMwiK myweav/myLiZv) of life (jvBd-Rxe‡bi) enjoyed (BbR‡qW-Dc‡fvM K‡i) by the urban people (Avievb wccj-kn‡ii gvby‡li). So (‡mv-ZvB), a village fair appears (Avwcqvim-g‡b nq) before (we‡dvi-mvg‡b) the villagers (wf‡jRvim-MÖv‡gi) with all opportunities (IciPzwbwUm-my‡hvMmyweavmg~n) for joys (R‡qR-Avb›`) and pleasures (‡cøRvi-myL). It gives (wMfm-‡`q) them (‡`g-Zv‡`i‡K) much (gvP-A‡bK) relief (wiwjd-gyw³) to their toilsome (Uqjmvg-Kógq) life. It is a part or our cultural life (KvjPvivj jvBd-mvs¯‹…wZK Rxeb).