Pre-Bhogali Mela: What an idea Sirji!

On 10th to 13th of this month, annual Pre-Bhogali mela was organized in NEDFi Haat, Guwahati. 70 self-help groups of women and NGOs from different parts of Assam set up stalls for selling different delicacies by different tribes. It was a very innovative step by NEDFi. The fair was very well organized and people enjoyed it very well. Bhogali Bihu shoppers from all over Guwahati and nearby areas thronged to NEDFi haat.
The fair not only had stalls selling Bihu delicacies but also a village like environment was created where different people were seen preparing the delicacies. This was very educational for the city kids as well. This was a major attraction of the fair and many people visited to the fair only because of this. As Dilip Dutta says, “I never buy pithas from the market. This is my first time. I came here for some fun and could not resist buying.”
Everything in the mela looked very well planned and the organizers have done a good job. “Bihu Gift Hampers” were a big hit. It is a package which has loskora (coconut laddoo), pitha, gur, til laddoo, malbhuk chira and maakhorai. Apart from the Assamese dishes, Nepali and Bengali delicacies were also seen, of which Seal Pitha and Akhoi Laddoo were the most popular.
As the melodious strains of Bihu songs fill the air, one can sit down and have a plate of sizzling hot tekeli pitha and a laddoo made from coconut and gur (jaggery) with a refreshing cup of tea.
On an overall, the fair was a major success with sales over 20 lakh and a very good customer experience. Each year, the fair is getting better and better and we hope to see more and more innovations in the forthcoming years.

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