The Covid-19 pandemic that has curtailed some major festivities of Bengal has also cancelled this year’s Raas Mela in Cooch Behar, an annual event with a 200-year-old tradition and one of the largest public events in north Bengal.

The Raas Mela or the fair held on occasion of the Raas Utsav is a festival initiated by the Cooch Behar royals.

Every year, while the festival is held at the Madanmohan temple complex of the town, the fair is held in the Raasmela Ground for over a fortnight.

This year, according to tradition, Cooch Behar district magistrate Pawan Kadyan, who also happens to be the president of Cooch Behar Debottur Trust Board, will start the festival by swinging the “Raas Chakra” late on Sunday evening and perform a puja. But the fair — which lakhs from the district and outside attend for a fortnight — will not be held this time.

“Like every year, the festival will also be celebrated this year, but because of the pandemic situation, it has been decided that the fair will not be organised this time. The decision has been made to ensure that there is no sudden surge in Covid-19 infection,” the district magistrate said.

Sources said that at the Madanmohan temple complex, health safety protocols would be strictly enforced during the festival that would continue till December 13.

“Thousands of devotees visit the temple campus during these days. Each person must wear masks and use the sanitiser before entering the temple. Also, circles have been drawn across the temple premises so that devotees maintain social distancing. Special teams will keep a watch and ensure that people adhere to safety guidelines,” said a source in the administration.

Raas Mela’s cancellation, however, left some Cooch Behar residents and traders disappointed.

They, however, have some consolation that the Cooch Behar Municipality has planned an alternative fair, on a much smaller scale, at the MJN Stadium of the town.

Bhusan Singh, chairperson of the board of administrators of the civic body, said people across Cooch Behar district and those residing in adjoining areas like Alipurduar eagerly wait for the annual Raas Mela.

But as it was cancelled, they decided to organise a smaller fair named “Silpa Mela” at the stadium for the next 15 days. “This fair will have only 200-odd stalls, unlike the thousands of stalls at the Raas Mela. But people can at least have an option to visit a fair during the festival,” Singh said.