Saras mela in Gurugram: Heavy rain inundates stalls, owners stare at huge losses

GURUGRAM: Several rural self-help groups from across the country who have set up stalls at the National Saras Mela, hoping to do good business before Diwali, are staring at losses.
The reason - the opening weekend was marred by incessant rains that damaged most of their products like dresses, bedsheets, carpets and consumables, kept at the stalls. The consequent waterlogging also brought down the number of visitors to the mela that was inaugurated at the Leisure Valley Ground in Sector 29 on Saturday.
Though water has been drained out on Monday, the mela ground is still filled with ankle-deep slush. Stall owners told TOI they were expecting good business right from the opening weekend but unexpected showers had shattered their hopes.
Ray Singh Kashyap from UP's Bareilly has set up a stall to sell a variety of pickles and vinegar. "Several of my products were damaged in the rains. The arrangements were very good but rains spoiled our business. We may have to return home without any profit."
Another stall owner said that several of his products -- mainly bedsheets -- were damaged due to waterlogging. "Rains have washed away all our hopes," he said.
Head of the marketing division of the Union rural development ministry, Chiranji Lal Kataria, said that "the entire event is insured and no one will suffer any loss". "A team is making an assessment of the loss and everyone will get compensation at the end of the grand mela."
"These are our artisans, we organise such events to promote them. We have provided them space free of cost and arrangements have been made for their stay and food. We take care of them. Weather is not in our hands but no one will suffer any loss due to the rains," he asserted.
To woo more visitors, the department is planning to go for more advertisements. "Water has been drained out and we are putting sand to make the ground clean and convenient for visitors. Besides, locations of some of the stalls are also being changed."
The Saras Aajeevika Mela 2022 will end on 23th October. More than 200 rural self-help groups and craftsmen from 27 states of the country are participating in the mela.