Kolkata: When gambling is a strict ‘No’ ‘No’ for society and parents prefer to keep their children away from this menace, here is a festival in West Bengal's Malda district where children walk into the fairground with their parents in tow to gamble. In a nondescript village--Mokhtarpur--seven kilometres from Old Malda city in West Bengal it's sacrilege if they don't indulge in it at the Juar Mela or gambling fair held every year on the occasion of 'Mulasasthi'.
When asked, locals said that the fair was organised every year to worship Goddess Sashthi, an incarnation of Goddess Durga. While the womenfolk were busy with puja rituals in the adjacent mango orchard, there were hardly any signs of piety on the open field where the men and other members of the family were busy making a fast buck.
There is an interesting story behind gambling at this fair. Ganesh Halder, one of the members of the fair committee, said, “This is an ancient fair. At that time the entire area was full of jungle and women on this auspicious day used to come to offer their prayers in the temple of Sashti Devi. The men used to come with them to guard them”.
“The offering of the prayers used to continue all through the day and the men had nothing to do, but sit and guard the women of the village. In an effort to while away their time they started gambling and this tradition still continues,” Halder who is also a local councillor told ETV Bharat. Halder also said that the fair started during the Turkish reign and it is still continuing.
“Though previously the fair and the gambling used to continue all through the night, but nowadays, the law enforcing authorities have put a restriction on that and all the people have to leave the fair-ground before 4.30 pm. In fact, police also help us to run the fair and they look into it so that there is no untoward incident takes place,” representative of local ward councillor Swapna Halder said.
“When this fair started, Turkish ruled here. Introduction of gambling here with a focus on women's Shasthi Puja. Later, it took the form of a fair. The name of the fair became Juari Mela, Our forefathers also gambled in this fair. This fair is mentioned in 'Mansamangal Kavya'. Earlier, the fair lasted till late night, but now the fair lasts till 4:30 pm. The police also help us to run the fair. This time also 15-20 civic volunteers have been appointed for the fair.”
Not only from Malda or other districts but also many people from Bihar, Jharkhand and even Assam also come to participate in this fair. Speaking to ETV Bharat, the bride of a local washerwoman Pramani Das, who was gambling at the fair with her family members said, "I haven't got time since morning. I have just come to the fair. I come to this fair every year. I like to play. I don’t know if this game is for fun. So, far I have lost Rs 40 to Rs 50. Let's see what happens in the end.”
“I have been coming to this fair for three to four years and I have never seen such a fair anywhere else. Everywhere when gambling is looked down upon this fair allows us to legitimise the game. I have been conducting the game since 10.30 am and I shall stay here till 4.30 pm,” Pradeep Saha of Gangarampur, a nearby village, who conducts a gambling board in the fair, said.
