BANKING TRADE AND COMMERCE

FAIRS

The fairs in Maharashtra as elsewhere in India formerly served a twofold purpose. They were in the first place religious gatherings though attended by persons belonging to almost all the religions. Secondly, they were also centres of trade for exchange of indigenous goods and produce by village artisans. They were thus complementary to weekly markets in so far as commercial transactions were concerned. Moreover they provided an outlet for local goods and talents.

Following is an account of the fairs held in the various parts of Bhandara district at the time the old Bhandara District Gazetteer was published: —

"No fairs of commercial importance are held in the District, but there are a number of religious gatherings, at some of which temporary shops are opened for the sale of vessels and provisions. The most important of these is the Gaimukh fair near Ambagarh which takes place at the Shivratri festival in February or March and lasts for about 15 days. The attendance is about 20,000 persons and about 100 temporary shops are opened. A fair is also held on the Shivratri festival at Pratabgarh in Sakoli tahsil, but the attendance here is smaller. Small religious gatherings are also held at Bondgaon in the Sakoli tahsil and at Sukli in the Tirora tahsil on the last day of Chaitra (April). Some temporary shops are opened at Bondgaon. The fair at Sukli is a gathering of the religious order of the Manbhaos. A small religious gathering is also held at Pongejhara near Asolpani on the day of Shivratri. In the Wainganga between the villages of Deohada and Madgi, and visible from the railway bridge, there is an island and on it a temple of Narsingh. A religious fair is held here on the last day of Kartik (November).

Fairs were generally held to celebrate the anniversary of a deity or a saintly person on a particular day every year, and very high religious importance was attached to them. But with the passage of time and spread of education among the masses, the importance of fairs declined as a religious gathering. Now fairs are held more in the nature of a commercial activity, though they have still not lost their religious significance. The turnover at such fairs is considerable as compared to that in a weekly bazar and pedlars, hawkers, retail traders who set up their booths at the site of fair do a flourishing business.

At present 37 fairs are held in various parts of the district. Among them a few, viz., Gaimukh, Amgaon, Sukdi, Adyar, Ambhora, Bondgaon, Kumbhali and Pratapgad are noteworthy a description of which is given in as follows:

Amgaon: It is one of the biggest fair in Gondia tahsil held twice a year. Because of convenient transport and communication facilities people from all over Vidarbha region attend the fair. The fair of Mahadeo held in Vaishakh, i.e., April-May is attended by about 3,000 people, whereas the fair of Khandoba held in Margashirsha, i.e.,, November-December is also largely attended by people, numbering more than 30,000. A large turnover of trade of agricultural produce takes place at the time of the fair. The traders from Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia and Madhya Pradesh attend the fair and do flourishing business.

Pratapgad: The famous fair of Mahadeo is held in the month of Magh, i.e., January-February and lasts for ten days. The fair is celebrated at the time of Mahashivratri and more than eight thousand persons attend the fair. Besides, the Rakshabandhan fair is also held here in the month of Shravan attended by about two thousand people.

Gaimukh: The Gaimukh fair is held at the time of Mahashiva-ratri in the month of Magh, i.e., January-February in honour of Mahadeo in Bhandara tahsil. The fair lasts for 15 days and is attended by more than five thousand people from nearby and distant places outside the district. The articles sold in the fair are clothes, earthen and other domestic articles, such as brass and copper vessels, grain, bangles, sweetmeats and toys. Traders from Bhandara, Nagpur and Gondia visit the fair to sell their goods.

Bondgaon: The Bondgaon fair is held twice a year on the day of Chaitri-Purnima and Ashwin Sud. 9 in honour of Ganga-Jamna Devi. The fairs are attended by more than five thousand people from all over the district.

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