Gopinathpur is a remote village in Akkelpur upazila of Joypurhat. The traditional Gopinathpur fair runs for almost a month from Dol Purnima. The fair was closed for the past two years because of the coronavirus, but this year it has been held in a festive atmosphere, and its horse market is already busy.

Horses brought from different parts of the country are bought and sold at the fair, and curious crowds gather to watch the horse races. Although the fair lasts a month, the horse and animal market runs for 10-15 days, or according to demand from buyers and sellers.

Horses with fancy local and foreign names such as Bahadur, Tajia, Bijli, Kiranmala, Raja, Rani and Sweety can be found at the fair, living up to their names with their speed and intelligence. Horses were greatly prized by the aristocracy in ancient times, and they are still valued by hobbyist riders today.

More than 2,000 horses are being brought to the horse market every day at this year's fair, and more than a hundred horses of different breeds are sold each day.

The traditional fair, around 550 years old, draws lakhs of visitors from the surrounding area and different parts of the country. Besides every kind of entertainment, traders and shopkeepers from different regions set up a huge market for horses, cattle and buffaloes, children's toys, "well of death" motor shows, all sorts of sweets and daily necessities. Crowds throng the fair day and night.

According to local lore and history, about 550 years ago Nawab Alauddin Hossain Shah, ruler from 1492 to 1535, visited Gopinathpur. Charmed by the hospitality of a holy man named Nandini Priya, the Nawab granted him about 604 acres of rent-free land, from which the annual Dol Jatra and fair have been held ever since.

Organisers claim this is the only horse market in the country, which is why several thousand horses are brought here from all over the country. It could be called a gathering of horses. Local and foreign horses of all names and prices are being traded briskly.

Because more horses have been brought this year, owners are not getting the prices they want but are fairly satisfied with small profits. However, sellers face some difficulty because the space for the horse market has shrunk compared with before, and there is no racing ground to attract hobbyist buyers.

The horse market is now alive with buyers, sellers and visitors. A horse is shown running to a buyer on a playing field, and then the price is bargained.

The Dol Purnima fair committee organisers said the 500-year-old fair had been famous for horses from the beginning. Even after independence, fine breeds of horses came from Nepal, Bhutan, India, Pakistan and countries of the Middle East. That is now a memory, but riders and horse owners from Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Tangail, Bogura, Naogaon, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Pabna, Rajshahi, Natore, Sirajganj and other regions bring horses to the fair. Shops start arriving before Dol begins. It is the only fair in the country for buying and selling horses, and it runs for almost a month. This year, however, the administration did not permit jatra and circus entertainment.

Abdul Majid of Gafargaon upazila in Mymensingh, who came to buy a horse, told Jagonews: "I wait for this fair every year. I have come to buy a horse. I could not buy one even after offering Tk 2 lakh, but this time I will go home with a horse."

A horse seller from Rangpur said: "I come to the fair to sell horses almost every year. This time I brought four horses and sold two for Tk 3 lakh. I hope the rest will sell too."

The highest asking price at this year's fair is Tk 5.5 lakh for one horse. Its owner, Mojibar Rahman, said the horse is of the Indian Taji breed, four and a half years old and a fast runner. "I look after this red-and-white striped horse myself," he said.

Gopinathpur union chairman Habibur Rahman said the Gopinathpur fair has been held for the past 513 years and is the oldest traditional fair. They are working in coordination with law enforcers to prevent any untoward incident, and regular publicity and miking are being done to make sure health rules are followed.

Akkelpur police station officer-in-charge (OC) Saidur Rahman told Jagonews that traders come to the fair from different parts of the country, and round-the-clock police patrols are in place for overall security.

Akkelpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer SM Habibul Hasan said the Gopinathpur fair is an ancient fair and a team from the upazila administration is working there around the clock. Jatra and circus entertainment were not permitted for security reasons, and the fair is under watch, he said.

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