Changing face of Chhapar Mela

The four-day Chhapar Mela, beginning on September 25, is losing its cultural appeal. It is now being used more as a platform for political parties to address gatherings, says Mahesh Sharma

WHAT was till some years ago a purely religious congregation to worship Gugga, an embodiment of Nag Devta, is now a mega socio-political event in Mandi Ahmedgarh. The administration has failed to preserve the original character and sanctity of the four-day mela, which now seems to have been hijacked by entrepreneurs and politicians.

Gone are the days when residents of Ahmedgarh town and the surrounding two dozen villages in Ludhiana district used to wait for the event and extend warm hospitality to their relatives and friends who would come from distant places to attend the fair. Now, the mela has become a chaotic and commercialised affair with the venue crowded with kiosks selling fast food and other items.

Harmonious folk music and dancing that were once an integral part of the mela have now been replaced with dissonance created by hundreds of high-pitched loudspeakers.

Lakhs of devotees visit the mela, which is one of the biggest rural festivals in the region. But all those who come with the expectation of hearing religious discourses go back disappointed. Folk singers and artistes are now not invited to the fair. Instead they have to camp under banyan trees that are quite a distance away from Gugga Marri, a shrine devoted to the Nag Devta. Bhangra and giddha are no longer performed at the mela.

Gurbachan Singh, a resident of Chhanna village and senior leader of a regional political party, expressing his resentment against the commercialisation and politicisation of the mela, said: "Instead of fostering fraternity and preserving Punjab’s cultural heritage, the event has become a source of income for many. Owners of prime land near the shrine have started getting lakhs of rupees as rent for a few days. These families do not work all the year round, they just wait for the mela to generate their annual income."

He added that hiring of land by political parties for conferences had led to a rise in the rental rates. Dhadhis, katha vachaks and folk singers, who would narrate sacrifices of Gurus and heroes, were no longer a part of the fair.

The first day, known as chowkian, used to be open only for women, but now men are seen outnumbering women on this day. Women are conspicuous by their absence on the subsequent days due to fear of eve-teasing.

Though the state government spends crores on organising the event every year, negligible revenue is earned from the largely attended fair. Hundreds of vendors, fun-game organisers and cattle traders transact heavy business during the fair but there’s very little that comes in way of fee or taxes in the treasury.

The burden of the administration is reduced by social organisations of the town and surrounding villages. Besides organising chhabils and langars, they arrange medical camps and ambulances.

Political party leaders, however, do not lag behind in drawing mileage out of this mega event. Office-bearers of various parties start preparing for this congregation months in advance. During the mela, leaders address people at their respective pandals.

The fair is organised on Chaudas, the 14th day of the Bhadon month. Gugga Marri was built in memory of Gugga Pir in 1890. It is believed that Gugga Pir was a Chauhan Rajput who entered Mother Earth along with his steed to never return again. He is said to be the God of snakes. As a ritual, devotees scoop out earth seven times, invoking Gugga Pir to protect them from snakes. Paying obeisance at the shrine is believed to cure people of snakebites and skin diseases.

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