Bhopal mela gets thousand on weekend, but overall numbers drop this year !

Bhopal mela is an annual affair in Bhopal, which offers a galaxy of products on sale. Be it bangles, key chains to electronic goods, Chinese toys, crockery, almirahs, household furniture, two wheelers Bhopal mela offers the same. This annual mela is held in winters around December – January and is for about forty days. Thousand throng the mela in the weekend which just passed by. There used to be a time when people of Bhopal and nearby areas used to wait for this mela but with number of avenues which have come up in recent times, the momentum has dropped. But Companies still offer special discounts on the various products for the mela. There used to be some exemption of commercial taxes on the products at the mela which was missing this time. The response at mela has been less this year then which it used to draw earlier. Many businessmen participating in the said, for a garment seller from Rajasthan, added that response has been half than that was last year, for a bangle dealer the response has been mediocre. The sudden drop in temperature in Bhopal especially during evenings has taken its toll on mela’s attendance. The number of people visiting at night used to increase but may be due to chill in the air, this has not happened at scale it used to be. Some people might have also got attracted to other happening mela’s in the town.

The mela as its wholesome is more than just sales of products, and gives it the rustic flavour it always had. It has events particularly in evening to attract visitors, games, many typical mela shows i.e. horror shows, car driving in a ‘well’, big spiral wheel, eateries. I met an interesting machine which not only provides you your weight, but also astrologic predictions by weighing you !! all in one machine and that just for two rupee isnt it great !

Anil Gulati

Bijna a unique exhibition of fans at Bhopal

More than three hundred fifty ‘hand used fans’ from different parts of India and overseas are on a display in exhibition at Ravindra Bhawan in Bhopal. These are fans which are rotated by hand to bring in breeze of air. The exhibition is titled as ‘Bijna’ which literary means ‘fan’. This is part of the five-day festival of tribal and folk, performing arts in on occasion of Republic Day in the State capital of Madhya Pradesh. As a part of the celebration an exhibition is normally organized of some traditional object which has had many transformations is put on display. Last time it was sandook (lit meaning - a box) this time it is Bijna.

The specially erected display hall in the grounds of the Ravindra Bhawan had an elegant display of kites at the entrance giving it an exquisite look. The fans in display look like frames in mirror but are used in an arrangement giving it the right needed ambience and the look, except the ones which are kept in display boxes in locks.

Fans of different types, styles and manufactured by different kinds of materials from different parts of India and overseas are on display. Time immemorial fans have been used by us be an ordinary peasant, or the king some or other form of fan was used. Not alone in kings palace, kings offices, by communities and at religious place, we had fans. Being a tropical country fans have been essential part of our lives and but not much talked about. For many of us though with advent of electricity these may have gone out of fashion and only adorn walls as antique but still many use them both in urban and rural parts of India. They are quit handy especially when the innovations like electricity fail !!. They are used in religious ceremonies, places and still hold values in our lives.

The fans on display were the one which are made from fibre, cloth, peacock’s feathers, bamboo sticks, paper and all f them some kind of handle to rotate the same. Be it simple handle or fans which were installed at ceilings and rotated by help of a rope which was hanged till the ground. The designs, paintings and pattern of the fans are unique to the place of its origin and also portray its use.

Anil Gulati

Tamil Nadu paintings in Bhopal

Anil Gulati


Bhopal’s Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalya (or the 'National Museum of Man'), gallery walls adorn unique Tanjore paintings and Kolam paintings in its small hall for last few months. Though limited in number but still are interesting collections which are displayed there. It has Tanjore paintings from Tamil Nadu which is known for its traditional ornate paintings. This unique art form has its origin in South India. The portrayal of figures in these paintings is breathtakingly brilliant. The website on Tanjore paintings do state that these paintings in earlier time were embedded with real diamonds, rubies and other precious stones. But now pure gold foils and semi precious stones are used to adorn the paintings. In the hall at Bhopal one can see paintings of Lord Krishna sitting on chair, Lord Vishnu and its ten incarnations, Lord Ganesha, painting of Mahabharta war, and few others. The creation of this painting involves a lot of dedication and several stages of meticulous work of art, which reflects when you see them. Hall also has few Kolam paintings. Kolam refers to decorative artwork drawn on the floor in front of houses and in ‘Puja’ rooms and is considered as an important form of artistic expression in India. The original Tamil Kolam merely consists of white dots around which the intertwined lines are drawn, but now colours are also used. Kolam paintings are time old cultural tradition in Southern part of India. Another small gallery adjoining the Tamil Nadu paintings is ‘Tana - bana’ i..e ‘The wrap and wreft’ which displays some handloom fabrics, pictures of various tribes in their traditional dresses and off course the simple yet attractive weaving spindles. Both these galleries are worth a visit, when one visits Manav Sanghralaya in Bhopal.

The winner at Rose show in Bhopal

Egret at Van Vihar

Bollywood blog from Bhopal

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Varaha at Udaygiri Caves, Vidisha

Udaygiri caves are a group of rock-cut cave sanctuaries carved into a sandstone hill that stands sentinel-like on the horizon. An inscription in one of these states that it was produced during the region of Chandragupta II (382-401 AD), thus dating these caves to 4th-5th century AD. Twenty caves in Udaygiri have distinctive features that provides a look into Gupta period art and architecture.

The picture is from cave number 5 which depicts Varaha, the incarnation of Vishnu, rescuing the Earth Goddess (Bhu Devi, also called Prithvi) from the engulfing Ocean. Varaha lifts Bhu Devi on his massive shoulder, his foot subduing a naga who folds his hands in submission and adoration, while gods and sages surround Varaha in recognition of the miracle. A circular lotus flower appears above the god's head. (Picture by Anil Gulati)