Essay on Fair
Introduction
A fair is held at a particular place at a particular time of the year. It is mainly conducted for the purpose of furthering the sale of goods. Like all other aspects of Indian life, this too has a religious bias.
We have heard about the biggest fairs of Kumbh and Hariharchatra. But small fairs are very common in rural centers of India. These fairs are small in the sense that the gathering of people is not as big as Kumbh or Harihar Chhatra.
But they are no less important than the biggest fairs when the faith and devotion of the people are taken into account. In Orissa also we get many fairs throughout the year. The Kanakpur fair is the most famous on the day of Pana Sankranti.
Description
The fair is held before the gate of the temple of Goddess Sarala. There is a big space in which about five thousand people can sit. A large number of sellers bring all their goods for sale.
They enlarge their temporary shops with a wall-like projection of bamboo and palm leaves. They put the same type of roofs on their shops. Textiles and stationery are widespread and so are sweets and other types of food. Many things are sold under leafy trees.
The place of the fair is full of men, women, and children. There are many more women and children than men adults. There is a huge crowd and a confused noise rises high. Some children sit on the merry-go-round and some enjoy watching the by-scope. Many things are bought and sold.
Many people visit the temple to pay their heartfelt tribute to Goddess Sarla. The priests of the temple also earn some money on this day. Volunteers from the local high school (Sarla Academy) work diligently to help the pilgrims.
Conclusion
Goddess Sarla is highly revered throughout Orissa. This fair in front of the temple is undoubtedly important. On this occasion, the village panchayat of the locality should provide better sanitation and a maximum supply of drinking water.