Charak fair still finds favour after 300 years

"Drum-beats can be heard in all four corners of the city of Calcutta, the chorki's back itches; ironsmiths prepare baan, dashlaki, kanta and bonti, various pointed and sharp instruments made of iron.

There is no limit to the joy of the carpenters, milkmen, perfume merchants and braziers. Everybody is roaming around covered in jewellery, wearing anklets, caps embroidered with gold, chandrahaar around their waist, clad in sarees with sipai borders worn in a peculiar way, carrying towels soaked at Tarakeshwar and with a thread tied with bel-leaves around their neck.

'There is Gajan at our Babu's palace', they say."

For a moment, one might have been back in 19th century Kolkata of Kaliprassanna Singha's Hutom Pyanchar Naksha (or, The Observant Owl). The Charak festival, also known as Charak Gajan, was celebrated with a great deal of theatricality in pre-colonial Kolkata and Bengal.

The vibrant festival, which features pantomimes and perilous practices, was formerly quite prevalent and flourished thoroughly in Kolkata.