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Rajasthan's
donkey fair losing its charm
by Lokendra Singh
Kanota
(Rajasthan): Rajasthan's famous donkey fair, believed to be Asia's
biggest fair of its kind, is rapidly becoming a victim of the frenzied
pace of mechanisation in rural India. The four-day fair, which began on
Tuesday at Kanota, around 25 kilometres from Jaipur, is famous for its
pedigree animals. There was a time when thousands of donkeys used to be
sold or bought here, but, today, the number is down to just a few hundreds.
Witnessing a sharp decline in the number of buyers, the donkey traders
are anxious about the future of the fair. "It used to be a fair of the
Donkey's alone and around 4,000- 5,000 thousand donkeys used to be sold.
But these days the only 800-900 donkeys are being sold. The figures are
falling day-by- day. It seems this donkey fair will be finished and will
become a horse fair," said Murarilal, a prospective buyer visiting the
Donkey fair. Earlier, the donkey was the beast of burden in rural India.
But better roads and cheap two-wheelers have literally driven donkeys
off the roads. Some traders blame the use of tractors and motor vehicles
for the declining demand for donkeys. The fair, in which buyers and sellers
from very off regions used to participate, now been reduced to a village
affair due to lack of buyers. The fair also offers prizes to people who
bring the largest number donkeys or the best-bred variety. Donkey and
horse races are also held to make the fair exciting. For the past several
years the demand for donkeys has declined, especially. in the brick-manufacturing
units. The price range for the animal varies from 500 to 10,000 rupees
(10.91 dollars to 218.360). Legend has it that the fair is a celebration
for the Goddess Khalkani. According to the popular folklore, Chanda Meena,
a brave landlord, rescued a princess in distress, who in turn accepted
him as her brother. But the princess had a notorious son, Malay Singh,
whom Chanda Meena thought of teaching a lesson. Chandab asked Malay Singh
to take a donkey laden with a bagful of gold coins to the ruler of Delhi.
As the latter reached the temple of Goddess Khalkani, his greed got the
better of him. When he opened the bag, he found stones instead of coins.
A panicky Malay Singh, thinking he would be held responsible for the disappearance
of the coins, worshipped the Goddess Khalkani in the temple. The stones
turned to gold miraculously. Since then, the donkey fair is organised
in commemoration of this miracle.
-Oct
4, 2006
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