VBU offers to host first Poush Mela post pandemic

DEBASHREE CHAKRABORTY

KOLKATA, 11 JULY

The Vice Chancellor of Visva Bharati University (VBU), Professor Bidyut Chakraborty has expressed his willingness to resume Poush Mela in a letter sent to the state chief secretary, Hare Krisha Diwedi on 29 June.

The central university has sought the assistance of the West Bengal government seeking three help- to provide adequate security to the mela, installing adequate numbers of bio toilets, to appoint cleaning volunteers to clean the ground when the Poush Mela is over.

Public Relations Officer of VBU said that the central university has planned to organise the Poush Mela abiding all the norms laid down by the National Green Tribunal.

Sunil Singh, secretary of Bolpur Traders Association said that they along with the several hundreds of artisans have welcomed this move of the VBU.

“ The Poush Mela and the Vasant Utsav are the two lifelines of Shantiniketan and these two cultural festivals attract several lakhs of people from all over the country which directs benefits the local economy,” Sunil Singh added.

Visva Bharati University is keen to organise the Poush Mela in the Shantiniketan Mela land.

This year the mela is likely to be held  from 24 December to 26 December, sources said.

Due to the outbreak of the covid -19 outbreak the 125 th edition of Poush Mela was cancelled in December  2020.

Poush Mela is the occasion when Maharshi Debendranath Tagore along with twelve others adopted Brahmo. The mela is a remembrance of this very day on the 7 th day of the Poush month, which is usually on the last week of December. The mela is a perfect amalgamation of different cultures and traditions.

The first Poush Mela was held at Goriti Garden at Palta on Poush 6, 1767. The famous folk singers and musicians  of Bengal are an added attraction.

The tourists also visit the Joydeb Mela at Kenduli.

The hotel and tourism sector has suffered huge losses due to cancellations of the Posuh Mela and Vasant Utsav since the past two years.

The nearest airport is the  Kazi Nazrul Islam airport at Andal.