he Bolpur Byabasayee Sangha — a traders’ association of Bolpur and Santiniketan — on Monday requested in writing the Santiniketan Trust and the registrar of Visva-Bharati to organise the annual Pous Mela this year as thousands of traders, artisans and hoteliers depend on this December fair.

Pous Mela was not held last year owing to the pandemic.
“Fairs and events are being held this year. Hence Visva-Bharati should resume Pous Mela. We have written to the Santiniketan Trust and Visva-Bharati for a notification to hold the fair,” said Bolpur Byabasayee Sangha leader Sunil Singh in Santiniketan on Monday.

On what they would do if Visva-Bharati refused to host the prestigious winter fair, Singh said: “If Visva-Bharati stays away from the event, we expect the state to keep the tradition alive.”
“We cannot (hold the fair) under the present Covid protocols of the central government,” Visva-Bharati’s acting public relations officer Atig Ghosh told this paper.