Surajkund Mela Journals

So I am finally writing something that is not book related on this blog which I have religiously ignored so far.

It had been 10 years since I last visited Surajkund mela so I thought it was about time that I paid another visit to this crafts fair. My memories of the place from the last time were somewhat faded but still I remembered enough to expect something Dilli Haatish.

Surajkund Mela takes place in Haryana, which is quite far from where I live in New Delhi. Being a late riser, this posed a challenge for me because you see, people who wake up after as much hue and cry as I do, often end up putting off any plans that involve exerting themselves and I am definitely not an exception. I was pretty sure that I will end up cancelling this wonderful plan that I had made with such gusto. But I surprised myself by actually not just waking up but also leaving on time. After 2 hours of travelling in the good old metro and an auto ride afterwards, through the dusty lanes of Haryana, I reached my destination, the vibrant Surajkund Mela which was brimming with the Indianness that we all love.

Decorative earthenware here, alluring jhumkas there, gorgeous kurtis resplendent in their bright colors beckoning you, the beautiful handbags in their lively shades reminiscent of Rajasthan. Above the usual din of the crowd, one could hear the instruments being played by the artists from different states. I never really paid attention to them properly because I was soaking in the earthy vibe that this place was giving off but the music made by the performers accompanied me all through the duration of my stay there.

One constant element in every place in India is abundance of people and places like these especially has a varied foot fall. One gets to see all kinds of people here. While taking a break from my scouting this mela, as I was munching onto my Chole Bhature(Unfortunately they were a HUGE let down) I amused myself by observing people around me. Here was a group of ladies feeding their kids while having a blast gossiping, there were two foreigners who were continually being stared at by someone or the other, bored looking men in uniform among many people.

Every time I took out my camera to click a picture, heads would turn in my direction as if I was accomplishing some inconceivable feat. I like to flatter myself thinking that they were impressed by my very professional looking DSLR(we are all allowed to harbor uplifting thoughts afterall).

I ended up spending some time reflecting on things that might or might not have needed any reflections as I navigated through this mela amidst its careless hustle bustle.

I made my way home after spending over 3 hours in Surajkund. It doesn’t really matter if it takes place every year, my farewell extends until I decide to go back again.

This lazy reader will be back with another post again surely. When? Can’t say exactly because planning is only so much fun. (Hint : Sometime this month, hopefully.)

The mandotary details : The metro station I got off at was Bardarpur. There were auto rides available right outside the metro station. The charges were Rs. 50 per person and while returning it magically came down to Rs. 30 per person. It took 15-20 minutes to reach the venue. The Surajkund Mela for 2018 ends on 18 February so this post is not so much a guide as it is the documentation of my experiences there. But hey, it happens every year so this still remains relevant somehow!