Kolkata, 05 November (H.S.) : In a major push toward administrative modernization and global promotion, Visva-Bharati University has announced the launch of a dedicated website for the upcoming Poush Mela. Vice-Chancellor Professor Probir Kumar Ghosh stated that the proposed portal aims to provide real-time information, highlight major attractions, and ease logistical challenges for the lakhs of visitors who travel to the annual cultural extravaganza from across the country and abroad.

The digital platform will feature comprehensive details on public help desks, drinking water stations, and bio-toilets, alongside an interactive stall allocation map modeled on the layout of the Kolkata Book Fair. Retaining its historic six-day format, Poush Mela 2026 is scheduled to be held from December 23 to 28 at the Purbapally Ground in Santiniketan. To ensure absolute transparency and streamline the registration process, online bookings for the fair's stalls will officially open on November 15. The university is preparing to host over 1,600 stalls this year, with Professor Ghosh emphasizing that indigenous artisans and local handicrafts will be allotted prominent locations in the main mela zones. A separate, dedicated food zone will also be established to ensure smooth crowd movement.

Signaling a renewed spirit of cooperation between the university and the state administration, recent preparatory meetings witnessed the active participation of top district officials. In previous years, the Birbhum District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police had reportedly skipped these meetings amid administrative differences. However, this year, Birbhum District Magistrate Dhabal Jain, Superintendent of Police Vidit Raj Bhundesh, and the Bolpur SDPO participated in the joint planning sessions alongside Visva-Bharati officials, fire brigade representatives, and municipal authorities.

On the security and logistical front, the joint committee has decided to substantially increase CCTV coverage across the mela grounds and strengthen police deployment. Multilingual help desks and accessible drinking water booths will be strategically placed for visitor convenience. To maintain the environmental sanctity of the Purba Palli grounds, the Bolpur Municipality has been tasked with overseeing daily sanitation, and the entire fairground must be evacuated and thoroughly cleared within 48 hours of the festival's conclusion. Professor Ghosh confirmed that a dedicated local committee for managing the Poush Mela will be constituted shortly, and a joint physical inspection of the fairground by all stakeholders is scheduled for the end of November.

The administrative push has been warmly received by the local hospitality sector. Chitra Ghosh, president of the Bolpur-Santiniketan Lodge Owners Association, welcomed the initiatives, noting they would further boost tourism during the peak season. The Santiniketan region, which houses over 200 registered accommodation facilities, attracts approximately 1.2 million tourists annually.

True to its rich heritage, the 2026 Poush Mela will traditionally commence with the soulful strains of shehnai music, followed by the dawn Vaitalik procession and a prayer congregation at the historic Chhatimtala. Visitors will be treated to a vibrant display of regional folk traditions, including Baul music, Kirtan recitals, and traditional dances. The expansive fairground will serve as a hub for traditional Bengali handicrafts-showcasing Kantha-stitch textiles, Batik prints, Dokra metalwork, and terracotta artifacts—while food stalls will offer seasonal winter delicacies like Pithe-Puli and sweets prepared with fresh date-palm jaggery (nolen gur).

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh