One of the main attractions of all times ‘Surajkund Mela’ began its magic on February 1 as it unveiled its 30th edition with an extravagant opening that offered endless sessions of fun-filled activities. While we heard relentless laughter and cheer all around with some of the visitors feasting on a plethora of delicious snacks, we also saw many tying to bargain to get the right deals.
When we visited the Mela on day 2, we decided to make an effort to understand the concerns of the shopkeepers and vendors from the various stalls amidst all the fun.
Surajkund Mela – a festival of happiness
One of the shopkeepers from Uttarakhand was deeply grateful to the government for bearing their transportation and accommodation expenses. Another shopkeeper at the mela explained us why monetary benefit wasn’t a concern for him. He said, “We aren’t worried about profit, we just enjoy being here. It’s a festival of happiness.”
Videsi stalls, desi visitors
The 30th edition of the ongoing Surajkund Mela is special as it has broadened its horizons to various artisans from foreign countries including Japan, Russia, Thailand, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Japan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh among others. The natives from Japan are the major centre of attraction this time with their multiple artforms –kites making, calligraphy sessions, and traditional performances.
Though they’re partnering with India for the first time in this fair, they believe this is definitely a profit making experience. While Japanese artists admitted that they never knew about the Mela till a formal invite was sent to them, they also sounded upbeat abut the opportunity given to them to present their crafts.
The shopkeeper from Tunisia stall shared his experience on being invited to the fair. “This is the first time that I have visited India. It’s a good opportunity to discover this country, its magic and varied cultures. This is a far-cry from the world. I didn’t expect that Indian market will be like this; so animated and so profitable. It’s an honour for me to participate in Surajkund Mela.”
Low footfall, huge concerns
Artisans from Nepal were utterly disappointed with the footfall and for being asked to pay for their entry tickets. “I have heard a lot about Surajkund Mela, but it’s not that grand. We were told that one lakh people visit the Mela every year. But the footfall doesn’t seem to be that impressive this year. We don’t know why lesser number of visitors have turned up. It could be because the ticket cost (Rs 80) is high. In fact, yesterday we had to pay for our ticket too.”
While the manufacturers from Nepal believe that ‘people keep seeking for constant discounts’ due to which their profits have edged, they also feel happy to build a clientele that remembers them. She also mentioned that since the last three years, their earnings have almost been the same. But this year, it has been lesser than what they used to earn in the initial years.
No sale, no profit
According to a shopkeeper manning the Bihar stall (featuring toys), international products have taken away the focus from the national items on sale. Focusing on the factors responsible for the low footfall, he said, “Firstly, this year the Mela opened on a Monday and not on a weekend - a big contributing factor. Secondly, because of the unpredictable weather people have been a bit wary. Also, there are so many international stalls that have led to less focus on us.”
When asked about the footfall from the previous years, a NAWAD (National Waterways Development Technology) shopkeeper said, “We’ve been coming to this fair since its inception. However, for the past few years nobody has bothered to call us due to unknown reasons. Earlier, we used to ride high in profits but now that has seen a huge dip. It’s just the beginning; we need to wait to see how it ends.”
So while as visitors we will have a memorable experience as we get familiar with the varied cultures and artforms of different states at Suraj Kund Mela, let us also spare a thought to the artisans who have been facing formidable problems in earning profits.
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