Chhapra: The monthlong Harihar Kshetra Sonepur Fair concluded on Sunday with a grand closing ceremony. State tourism minister Nitish Mishra, the chief guest at the closing ceremony, highlighted the state govt’s commitment to promoting iconic fairs such as the Sonepur Mela, Pitripaksh Mela and Shrawani Mela. He said efforts were being made to boost the branding of these fairs and achieve international recognition in the coming years.
“The idea is to make these events more attractive globally and ensure their legacy continues to shine brighter,” Mishra said. The fair, which began on November 13, showcased cultural, commercial and governmental exhibits, drawing large crowds throughout its duration.
Among the highlights of the fair was the recognition of the outstanding stalls. The Centre’s ‘Rail Gram’ exhibit was awarded the best pandal, followed by Coal India and mining in second place and the department of information and broadcasting in third.
Saran district magistrate Aman Sameer expressed gratitude to all departments and officials who contributed to the fair’s success. “The wholehearted support from tourism, art and culture, information and PRD departments and local authorities made this event a grand success. Thanks to the active contributions of the district police, defence personnel, scouts and guides and other officers, the fair remained incident-free,” he said.
Sameer said 1,772 horses were sold at the fair and 45 govt departments set up exhibition stalls. He also unveiled future development plans, including the construction of the Harihar Nath Corridor, widening of internal roads, improving NH-31 connectivity and converting overhead electrical wires to underground systems.
Saran superintendent of police Kumar Ashish lauded the police officers for ensuring security during the event. “This fair has set a benchmark and we hope to give it a new dimension in the coming years,” he said. Local MLA Ramanuj Prasad proposed extending the fair’s duration from one month to two months.
Among state govt departments, DRDA secured the first place for its exhibit while the Disaster Management Authority and Mahila Vikas Nigam shared second place. Cooperative and health departments jointly secured third. In the private sector, stalls by Royal Enfield, Sri Ram Finance and Ghadi Detergent were ranked first, second and third, respectively.