Rastar Raja, Bijli Rani, Rastar Pagol, Rongbaj, Parle Thekao, Kajli, Tajia, Kumar Raja, Bijli, Bahadur: horses with fanciful names like these are now at the Cheradangi fair in Dinajpur. Horse traders have come from different parts of the country to sell them. The fair usually opens on 23 Magh each year, but this time it opened two days early, on 21 Magh. It will run for a month.

Local lore has it that at this fair, which began 76 years ago, cattle, goats, horses and buffalo as well as camels and dumba sheep used to be brought in large numbers from various parts of India. Over time those animals gave way to cattle, buffalo and horses. There are also jatra, circus and puppet shows for entertainment, and there is nothing that is not sold here, from household furniture of wood, steel and plastic to sweets, spices, shoes and clothes. Around the fair, which covers about two and a half square kilometres, feasts (mejban) are held in some 20 villages in the area.

For about a decade and a half, however, no cattle, buffalo or goats have been brought to the fair. From the first day the number of horses was striking, with traders bringing their horses a day before the fair began.

On Saturday (4 February), Md Abdul Jalil Pramanik, who brought horses from Sadullapur upazila in Gaibandha district, said he had brought three horses named Rastar Raja, Bijli Rani and Rastar Pagol. All three are very fast. He is asking Tk 1.5 lakh for each. On the first day people came, looked and made offers, but none offered the price he wanted, so he could not sell.

Azgar Ali came from Bogura Sadar upazila. His horse runs very fast, so he named it "Parle Thekao" (Stop It If You Can), and everyone in his area calls it by that name. He is asking Tk 1 lakh for the horse and said he would sell it for Tk 80,000.

Nur Islam brought a horse to the fair from Shantir Bazar in Chirirbandar upazila of Dinajpur. He said that last year he named his horse "Kiran Mala"; that was a mare. This year he has named his stallion Rongbaj. He said he would sell Rongbaj for Tk 80,000 and buy a new horse.

Mohammad Islam brought two horses, Bijli and Kajli, from Teghra Julimudi Khana in Biral upazila of Dinajpur. He is asking Tk 1 lakh 80,000 for each.

A buyer offered Tk 1.25 lakh, but he said he would not sell without seeing how things end. "I have been buying and selling horses at this fair for 10 years. But there is no ground for horse races, which is a big problem. If the horse's running can't be shown properly, it can't be sold."

Bakul, of Block 8 in Upashahar in Dinajpur town, bought a foal as a hobby. "For several years I have been thinking of buying a horse to keep at home for the family, but it never happened. This time I bought a foal at the Cheradangi fair. The price is quite high."

In the afternoon, Jatiya Sangsad whip Iqbalur Rahim MP opened the 76th traditional Bangladesh Cheradangi fair in Dinajpur Sadar as chief guest. Organised by the Bangladesh Cheradangi Fair Committee and chaired by committee president Mizanur Rahman Mizan, with secretary Shahed Zaman moderating, the event was addressed by Dinajpur additional superintendent of police (crime and ops) Abdullah Al Masum, Dinajpur Sadar upazila parishad chairman Md Imdad Sarkar, Sadar upazila nirbahi officer Md Ramiz Alam, district rice mill owners' group president Mosaddek Hossain, former Sadar upazila chairman Faridul Islam, Auliapur union parishad chairman Md Mostafa Kamal, Auliapur union Awami League president Advocate Zakir Hossain and general secretary SM Zakaria Zakir.

Tanvirul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Dinajpur Kotwali police station, said a special camp has been set up to keep law and order normal at the fair, and it will be watched round the clock. Police are also watching to make sure there are no irregularities or obscenity, so that the tradition of this traditional rural fair can be restored.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.