Shutdown puts off Onam fair by a day

The Onam Fair, which was scheduled to begin on Tuesday under the aegis of the district panchayat and the District Poverty Alleviation Wing, will commence without any formal inauguration ceremony at the Kandamkulam Jubilee Hall in Kozhikode on Wednesday.

The fair could not be opened on Tuesday owing to the hartal called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in protest against the killing of an RSS leader in Kannur.

“The formal inaugural ceremony was dropped due to the unexpected inconvenience caused by the hartal,” said district panchayat president K. Jameela.

The fair will showcase a wide variety of products from the rural parts of the district as well as the neighbouring districts. The five-day fair, as initially planned has been shortened to four days, said the organisers.

Stalls put up by different agencies such as Kudumbasree, Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) and Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) will be the main attractions. Different varieties of chips, pickles, soaps, forest produce, including honey, and cane furniture besides handicrafts, dress materials, agricultural produce and coconut products will be on sale at the fair, said the organisers.

Ms. Jameela said the hartal caused much inconvenience to the agencies and individuals who are participating in the fair.

From interior Wayanad Many of them are bringing their wares from far away places, including the interiors of Wayanad.

“Most of them are women. They will be able to arrange their stalls only by late Wednesday,” she said.

The Onam fair under the district panchayat at the Jubilee Hall displaying a wide variety of products from the rural areas was one of the main attractions of the Onam market in the city last year as well.

“Though a day short, we are expecting a good crowd this time as well,” said Ms. Jameela.