Every year in late December, the historic Mexican city of Oaxaca holds an unusual and colourful festival, the "Night of the Radishes", known in Bengali as "Mular Raat". At its centre is an ordinary vegetable, the radish. Here, though, the radish is no longer a kitchen ingredient: in the hands of artists it becomes remarkable sculpture. For a few hours the city's central square, the Zócalo, turns into a lively open-air art exhibition.

Local artists and craftspeople carve large, specially grown radishes into all kinds of scenes: dancers' poses, animals and birds, village life, religious stories and folk tales all take shape in the radishes. The bright red skin and white flesh together create a striking contrast in each piece, which easily draws the crowds.

The most fascinating part of the festival is that the artists finish their work in front of the audience. People stand spellbound as an ordinary radish is gradually cut, trimmed and arranged into a work of art. When the work is done, the pieces are set out in rows for the judges and visitors. Long queues form to see each sculpture, sometimes lasting for hours.

Alongside the radishes, the festival also displays works made from other natural materials. Scenes made of corn husks and dried flowers carry the same themes as the radish art. With these materials, artists present stories of local culture, tradition and daily life in a new way.

The festival's artworks are very short-lived. Because radishes dry out quickly, the displays stay fresh for only a few hours. The whole event is thus a living but brief art experience that leaves a special feeling with visitors, and this very transience makes it all the more special.

The Night of the Radishes is a family festival. Everyone takes part, from children to the elderly, locals to tourists. The whole area fills with laughter, applause and camera flashes. As the night goes on, excitement grows, because everyone is waiting for the prizes to be announced.

The judges usually announce the best works at around nine at night. As the winners are named, the whole square erupts in cheers. The winning artists wave to the crowd, and that moment becomes the most memorable part of the festival.

The celebration does not stop when the main event ends. Music, food and conversation spill into the surrounding streets. People dance to local bands, and families enjoy tamales and traditional drinks. The festive joy spreads through the whole area.

The festival's history is interesting too. In the late 19th century, vegetable sellers in Oaxaca began carving radishes into various shapes to attract customers at the Christmas market. They also brought large radishes to the market to sell. The main aim was to keep their vegetable sales from falling during the Christmas festivities.

In 1897 the then mayor, Francisco Vasconcelos, gave the practice formal shape and organised a radish-carving competition. From this the Night of the Radishes was born. Over time it grew from a market tactic into part of Oaxaca's cultural identity. Today the Night of the Radishes shows that with creativity even an ordinary vegetable can become the centre of art, festivity and people coming together.

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