Village Fair - a colorful exhibition at 'Mihipur Ghat'.

The village fair, commonly known as "Mela" in Bangladesh, is a vibrant and culturally significant event in rural areas. These fairs are usually held on specific occasions or festivals and are integral to Bangladeshi rural life, fostering community spirit and providing entertainment, commerce, and cultural activities.

It's been a while science I have attended any fair like this as they usually do not hold in urban places. But I got the opportunity after the 'Eid'.

Let me show you a glimpse of the Fair at Mohipur Ghat.

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Local artisans and craftsmen showcase their skills by displaying and selling traditional handicrafts, pottery, handwoven fabrics (like sarees), woodwork, and more. Apart from food and handicrafts, there are numerous stalls selling toys, clothes, jewelry, and other everyday items.

Some larger village fairs may feature small traveling circuses, magic shows, and amusement rides like merry-go-rounds, Ferris wheels, and swings, especially for children. But here, we have found only two small Ferris wheels. The children were especially thrilled to ride the Ferris wheel.

After reaching the Ghat, we noticed many local vendors were selling handmade clay pots, toys, and kitchen accessories. I'm seeing these types of clay-made toys after many years, I had some in my childhood. I didn't know kids still play with them. They brought such great memories!

We heard that there was a fair going on at the Mohipur Ghat/riverside port and we didn't wait long to attend the fair. It's a huge open space with a view of the river; perfect for a fair. The fair was held there for several days, we attended on day 3.

We were very excited to see the crafts, taste different food, attend the rides, and explore the place. Unlike urban parks, there was not anything much significant. But the rural vibe, the cultural touch are what makes it much more significant and enjoyable.

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There were so many small shops. The vendors were sitting on the ground, there was nothing fancy. But the craftsmanship of them was something that amazed us. The price was not fixed in those shops, you have to negotiate.

We bought some small toys, balloons, and many different food from the shops.

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Then we went to the Ferris wheel. There was a huge line, we have to wait for half an hour for our turn. Unfortunately, the ride was handheld so we adults decided to not get on the wheel but the kids only.

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It's time to explore the food!

One of the highlights of the village fair is the variety of delicious food stalls offering traditional Bangladeshi dishes. People can savor local delicacies such as pithas (rice cakes), fuchka (pani puri/gol gappa), jhalmuri (spicy puffed rice), sweets, different pickles, and other snacks.

We have tried fuchka, jhalmuri, and peanuts.

The jhalmuri (spicy puffed rice) seller.

You got it right, the food is not very hygienic. So you have to be cautious about what you are eating at such fairs.

The foods are usually not very costly, they are around $1 to the highest $2. All the food is spicy, there was no shop that was selling any heavy meals but snacks.

We found this one vendor that was selling locally made ice cream cones on his cycle!

My experience says they don't taste good so we didn't try it this time.

The pickle shops were the most crowded ones. I was not sure if it would be a good idea to eat the open pickles as there were already many fries around them. So we decided to skip them. But to be honest they were looking very appetizing and I bet they are good in taste.

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Since agriculture is the backbone of Bangladesh's economy, agricultural exhibitions are often a part of the fair. Farmers exhibit their fresh produce, livestock, and poultry at this fair.

We have bought a lot of vegetables from this seller. All of them were freshly produced and very cheap compared to the urban shops.

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Village fair provides an opportunity for people from different villages to come together, socialize, and strengthen community bonds and this one serves the same purpose.

It was more like a cultural tour to me rather than just a fun day at the village market. We got to see so many handicrafts and food that were long lost to us.

Moreover, these fairs play a crucial role in preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of Bangladesh and are eagerly awaited events in rural areas. And that's what made our tour much more meaningful.

I wish to attend such fairs in the upcoming days as well.

I shared about Mohipur Ghat and its scenic beauty in another post a few days ago. Here's the link. If you are interested you can visit the post as well.

Have a good day, everyone!