Even today Santal youths look for life partners at the Charakmela of Jhalpukur in Godagari.

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The people of Jhalpukur village of Pakur union of Rajshahi’s Godagari upazila rejoiced in the Charak Mela. The fair was held in Jhalpukur in the shade of reeds and bamboo groves. The fair ends before evening. However, the chadak is rotated by tying a rope and towel around the waist, not by piercing the back. This rural fair is held on the occasion of the first Baisakh.

The people of Kurmi Mahato community said that they have been organizing this village fair for hundreds of years on the occasion of Paila Baisakh. Although Mahatora organizes this fair, the number of people who come to this fair is more Santal men and women. These Santal young women and girls come to Sejeguj. From this the young men also look for their life partner. This is the special feature of this fair. Many of the youth who come to the fair do not admit it now, but some do.

In the late afternoon, the reporter met a group of youths from Bechanda village of Nachol, Chapainawabganj. They are fairly educated. When Philip Murmu and Sunil Murmu were asked about finding a bride among them, they shyly avoided the matter. But married young man Joy Saren (24) told Prothom Alo, “They are not saying out of shame.” We came to the fair in a group of 20 young people from the village. If he gets a more desirable bride, he will propose to her. Then marriage in the family. In this case, most of the boy’s family accepts the boy’s choice. But that’s not what everyone comes to the fair for. Santal women of the same age come to the fair to rejoice. Eat sweets. Buy it for home. Apart from this, branches, pala, bangles, ribbons and imitation jewelery are bought from the fair.

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Ganesh Mahato (78) of the village presented the tradition of Jhalpukur’s Charak Mela. In Prothom Alo, he said that even his parents could not say exactly when this fair has been organized by Mahatos. Charak Puja was performed on the night of Chaitra Sankranti. Adivasi girls used to dance and sing to the beat of Madal-Banshi all night in the light of the moon. The fair was concluded by turning the clock in the sweet glow of the red morning sun. People used to buy sweets, mandas, children’s toys from the fair. Girls wear bangles, ribbons, vermilion, branches, branches, etc. However, since independence, fairs are no longer held at night.

Ganesh Mahato lamented and said that since the night fair was closed, the people who came to the fair were deprived of the joy of dancing and singing throughout the night. After that, before spinning the Charka, different cultural groups of Santals came and danced and sang. It has also been closed for a few years. The previous tradition of this fair has been lost. But still Santal girls regularly come to the fair. Santal youths come to look for brides. Some get it, some don’t. But they are not known, they remain secret. Marriages take place within the family. This specialty of Santal youths coming to fairs to find brides for marriage has survived even today.