SB-Sujon, Lalmonirhat Correspondent :
Like every year, the traditional bride and son-in-law fair of rural Bengal has begun at the Shaheed Abul Kashem Degree College ground in Barabari, Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila.
BNP’s Rangpur Divisional Organizing Secretary Principal Asadul Habib Dulu inaugurated the fair on Monday (December 16) afternoon. The fair, which started on December 16, will continue until December 31. This year’s fair has fish stalls, pitha stalls and other cosmetic product stalls. A huge crowd was seen on the first day of the fair. Girls and sons-in-law wearing garlands and saris came to the fair and enjoyed themselves. Visitors came to the fair from different parts of the district and surrounding districts. Shopkeepers have set up stalls with various types of pitha and fish of various species at the fair. The fair will have a fish festival every morning and a pitha festival from afternoon to night.
Meanwhile, on the occasion of the fair, daughters and sons-in-law have come to visit almost every house in the four unions of Sadar Upazila. Daughters and sons-in-law have come to the fair dressed up in new outfits, wearing garlands and red saris. They are buying big fish and various types of sweets to go to their in-laws’ houses. Since the new son-in-law is coming home, the in-laws also have to buy big fish.
Visitors to the fair said that they came to this fair with high hopes to buy fish and pitha. But the sellers are charging high prices for fish and pitha. However, whatever the price, to maintain the tradition of rural Bengal, the bride and son-in-law who come to the fair are buying fish and pitha as they like and heading towards their in-laws’ houses. Fish sellers at the fair say that the prices are high. That is why they have to sell these fish with transportation costs. Sales are high at the fair, so their profits are low.
Pitha sellers say that the prices of pitha have had to be increased a little this year because the prices of all things are high.
Faruk Siddiqui, convener of the fair organizing committee, said, “The bride and groom fair has been organized to preserve rural traditions. The bride and groom will buy big fish from the fair and go to their in-laws’ house and eat various types of pitha. In addition, the new generation of children will be able to get acquainted with many species of fish that are almost extinct. Overall, this exceptional fair has been organized to bring back the lost traditions of rural Bengal.”
Faruk Siddiqui also said that the significance of this fair is that the wives and sons-in-law of this region come to this fish fair in the morning. They will take big fish and go to their in-laws’ house. The mother-in-law will cook lunch. The mother-in-law and her other relatives will have lunch with fish curry. After eating, they will come to the pitha fair in the afternoon and enjoy various rural plays and cultural programs.
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