If Saras Mela shifted from Salt Lake to New Town this year, Sabala Mela, another Central Park annual fixture, has found a new venue in Acharya Prafulla Chandra Park in Kankurgachhi. According to official sources, the fair had to be scaled down due to reduced budget and the pandemic situation.

The entrance to the fair on the inaugural day. The items on sale include types of sari, terracota, dokra and bamboo handicraft, masks and tulaipanji rice. Sudeshna Banerjee

“In most years, we have about 250 stalls for which we need a bigger venue like Central Park. Here we have around 150. We also pushed back the dates from our usual Christmas-New Year period to avoid a big crowd,” said an official. There are two self-help groups each from 23 districts. “Besides this, district-level Sabala Mela is going on across the state,” pointed out minister Sadhan Pande.