Village Fair in India
Introduction
Village fairs are very common in India. In almost all parts of the country fairs are held and thousands of people visit these fairs. They are held generally on the occasion of some religious festivals. The site of the fair is generally a sacred place. Many small fairs are held on various occasions.
Features of Village Fairs
The special features of the village fairs in India are that they fulfill the needs of the rural people. In almost each fair the cattle market is a necessary feature. In towns there are permanent markets. Hence, people do not feel the want of anything. They purchase their articles of daily need in the regular market.
But in villages many things are not found in the regular markets. Hence they have to depend for those things on the fair. The purchase and sale of cattle are the greatest towns visit the fairs.
Description of Village Fairs
In olden days, when there were no good roads connecting villages with towns and cities, these fairs were very useful. Now-a-days, the importance of village fairs has been very much reduced. Now the fair is more a diversion than a necessity. Now-a-days, fairs provide a change from the monotony of everyday life. People go there for sight-seeing and for enjoying the company of men.
In a Village fair, people come from parts to sell their various articles. Temporarily shops are erected. They are arranged in various rows. Generally, shops of one kind are arranged in one row. On one side there are shops of confectioners. On the other, there are shops of iron utensils. In a third row there are shops of steel trunks. Then there are shops of carpets, blankets, toys, shoes, books, wooden articles, utensils, handloom cloths, medicine, etc. Besides shops, there are hawkers who move about up and down the fair and sell their own little products. They sell flutes, paper-umbrellas and various other kinds of toys which especially attractive to the children.
In a fair, there is a very brisk activity everywhere. Purchase and sale of articles take place and there is almost always a great rush.
Utility of Village Fair
It often serves as a meeting place for people living far away from one another. People very often come across their friends and relatives living far away whom they had no chance of seeing otherwise. The fair is a great boon to the traders. The traders very easily dispose of defective articles in a fair. In the fair, besides shops, there are some side attractions. Theaters,magic shows, swings, drama parties, etc. provide a good deal of fun to the visitors.
The fairs in India has got one special utility. It is a good place for advertisement and propaganda. Since people from different places assemble at the fair, the news of any new product or invention spreads far and wide very easily.
Conclusion
The village fair is really a good thing because it provides diversion and amusement and promotes trade and industry.
