In Chitrakoot, a small town on the banks of the sacred Mandakini River, the annual “Gadhon Ka Mela” — or Donkey Fair — wrapped up today after three days of color, music, and trading. The event, which has been running for 350 years since the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s reign, tops India’s list of animal markets, only second to Pushkar’s camel fair.
Held right after Diwali and in sync with the Annakoot festival, the fair draws thousands of people from across India. This year, traders from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Uttarakhand converged on the riverbanks. They sold about 5,000 donkeys and mules, generating a turnover of more than ₹1 crore.
The animals are prized for their strength, breed, and gait, qualities that make them useful for construction work and brick‑kiln hauling. Around the fair, sellers displayed their best mounts, and buyers haggled briskly under the autumn sun. Decorated donkeys marched to traditional drum beats, turning the market into a lively carnival.
A quirky tradition of the fair is naming the animals after Bollywood stars. This year’s star performers included a donkey called “Sunny Deol,” which opened at ₹1.5 lakh but sold for ₹1.05 lakh after spirited bargaining. Another hit was “Shah Rukh Khan,” with bids reaching ₹80,000. Fans also chased other celebrity‑named animals such as “Salman,” “Katrina,” and “Madhuri.” The mule that gained headlines last year, owned by Lawrence Bishnoi, unfortunately did not find a buyer, though it wowed the crowd.
The Gadhon Ka Mela has no formal organizer; local self‑governing bodies manage the event, turning the quiet riverbanks into a bustling marketplace that links communities in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The fair’s origin dates back to a shortage of horses in Aurangzeb’s army, prompting the import of Afghan mules and sparking this unique tradition.
As one local organizer summed up, “It’s not just about buying donkeys—it’s about celebrating a tradition that’s galloped through centuries.” The 2024 Chitrakoot Donkey Fair thus celebrated heritage, humor, and lively commerce, drawing people from all walks of life to witness the unique blend of culture and trade.
Source: ianslive
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