Fairs are back. With the state government giving the green light for fairs to resume after a gap of eight months, Saras Mela is set to be organised at New Town Mela Ground from December 23.

Organised by the panchayats and rural development department, the fair will have 240 stalls, including 25 food stalls selling finger food and snacks, in the mela ground. Most of the other stalls will showcase handicraft and handloom products by self-help groups (SHG).

“The stalls will be more spaced out than usual. We will not allow entry without mask. Thermal checking will be done daily and Covid test will be done for those with high temperature,” said minister Subrata Mukherjee.

The department has sought help from the office of the district chief medical officer of health to transfer those testing positive to safe homes. All artisans are being asked to bring medical insurance documents given by their respective state governments. There are also plans for periodic Covid tests but the huge number of the artisans (650-700) might get in the way. Even if that is not possible, the stalls at the fair as also the lodging facilities of the artisans at the Salt Lake stadium will be regularly sanitised.

While mask, apron, faceshield and headgear will be provided to the artisans, a stall to sell masks will be set up near the gate. “In case someone has forgotten to wear one, he or she can buy a mask before getting in. Both cheap surgical masks and those made by SHGs will be on offer,” said an official.

There will be three pavilions, selling jute products, nursery products and processed food items like jam, jelly, pickles and masala, all produced and packeted by SHGs.

For the first time, there will be live demonstrations at the karigar haat. “You will get to experience sights like needlework in progress to produce kantha stitch from Birbhum or chhou masks being made by Purulia mask-makers,” an official said.

Till Wednesday, 15 states have confirmed participation. “The number is higher than last year as artisans of all states have been hit by the pandemic and need a market to sell their ware,” said Soumyajit Das, chief executive officer, State Rural Livelihood Mission.

The service road in front of the mela ground will also be used to seat individual artisans with their products. So the authorities have decided to use the fallow land next to the ground as well for car parking and the food court.

The food court will offer specialities of each district, from momo of Darjeeling to sharbhaja-sarpuriya of Nadia. Rajasthan has also booked a stall, so expect the authentic taste of daal-bati-churma. So has UP which could offer Awadhi cuisine. Goa might also come, sources said, which adds hope of a range of seafood specialities. Another attraction will be the seasonal delights prepared by the SHG women. While pithe puli options will be there in plenty, cakes will come from Darjeeling and home-made chocolates from Hooghly. The West Bengal Comprehensive Area Development Corporation (WBCADC), a unit of the panchayats department, is planning to host a regional food pavilion selling Bengal’s cooked specialities in fish and sweets. If it serves dishes like Ilish Bhapa, Tel Koi, Tangra Kosha, Mourola Chachchari and Pathar Jhol on one hand, on the other there will be a range of sweets made of nolen gur on offer,” said Das, who also heads WBCADC.

Cultural programmes will be held with folk artistes from 5pm to 7pm daily. A host of entertainment options will also be there. There will be three selfie zones. “We are trying to bring traditional clothes from the hills which one can wear and get photographed in for a charge. The free-of-cost options will include a cutout of a faceless figure in chhou costume where one can place one’s face in a gap.

A cooking competition will see walk-in visitors register on the spot and cook with given ingredients. Children can spend time in an activity centre where they may be asked to do fun things like design their own mask.

“Every winter, Saras Mela usually ends up being the last fair of the season as grounds are difficult to get before February. This time we are lucky to be the first off the block,” smiled the official. The fair will continue till January 3.

The authorities did try to book Central Park, their usual venue, but did not get the booking on the desired dates. The department of textiles has booked the venue for Banglar Tater Haat from December 22 but there is no clearance yet for the fair from the finance department.