Pre-Planning
I come from a small area in West Bengal called Moyna. But for my B.C.A studies, I moved to Chandigarh. I have spent almost two years in Chandigarh. Every Bengali celebrates Durga Puja every year with great enthusiasm. But since I was not at home, I felt a bit upset because the Durga Puja craze here is not as big. Also, for a long time, I hadn’t ventured outside of my university due to the pressure of studies. Every Saturday and Sunday, we have holidays, so I decided to visit the Dussehra Mela in Chandigarh.
Journey
As planned, I got ready around 3:00 PM. I went to Kharar, about 10 km from my university, where I took a bus to SECTOR 17. One thing I always love about Chandigarh is Good Traffic Management System. After almost a 40-minute journey, I reached Sector 17, only to find out that the main fair was taking place in Sector 34. So, I decided to go to Sector 34 by auto. There were two fairgrounds.
I chose the fairground where the Ravan effigy would be burned. There were many different types of stalls. The first thing that caught my eye was the huge Merry-Go-Round.
Without delay, I bought a ticket and sat with great excitement. After that, I went to a Balloon Shooting Game stall. Even though I am not good at shooting balloons, I somehow managed to shoot four. Here's an image of me at the Balloon Shooting game:
I always love to have ফুচকা (Panipuri). After a long time, I finally got to eat some. I also visited a bookstore, but unfortunately, I didn’t find any interesting books. I browsed through a few before moving on to the next fairground.
Second Fairground
The second fairground had a theme-based setup. There was a miniature of the Burj Khalifa, beautifully lit up with tiny lights. By evening, it looked stunning.
I took a ride on the Break Dance ride. It was incredibly fast. I felt like my head was spinning, much like how the Earth revolves around the Sun. Here's an image I took before going on the Break Dance ride:
Then, my eyes fell on a poster for the Bhoot Bungalow (Haunted House). Although I am scared of ghosts, thanks to the many ghost stories I heard from my grandmother in my childhood, I decided to face my fears. By the way, I’ll talk more about my grandmother in another blog—she’s an epitome of a compassionate soul.
Here's the image of the Bhoot Bungalow:
I told myself, "All is well," and entered the Bhoot Bungalow. I was literally sweating inside. A boy opened the door, and I walked into a narrow, dark corridor. Suddenly, a dim red light turned on, eerie sounds started playing, and a ghost-like figure behind me began nodding his head. I can’t describe how terrified I was! It felt like my heart would leap out of my chest. Somehow, I managed to make it through the entire Bhoot Bungalow.
After that, I ate some corn (ভুট্টা).
Ravan Vadh
Then I returned to the first fairground for the Ravan Vadh. For those who don’t know, Ravan Vadh is an event in Hindu mythology where Lord Rama kills the demon king Ravan to rescue his wife, Sita, symbolizing the victory of good over evil. This event is celebrated during Dussehra with the burning of Ravan’s effigy.
A man dressed as Shri Ram Chandra took a bow and shot an arrow at Ravan’s head, igniting the effigy. It took about 8–10 minutes for the entire effigy to burn. Here’s an image of the Ravan Vadh:
Afterward, we took an auto back to our university. Luckily, there was a Garba event going on, so I joined in and danced for a while, even though I don’t know much about dancing.
I was quite tired, so I decided to grab some Chicken Noodles and headed back to my hostel, Zakir Block - C.
My Experience
As a Computer Science enthusiast, I often get caught up in the world of coding, but this experience reminded me of the importance of taking a break and enjoying life outside the screen. Spending time with loved ones, meeting new people, and immersing oneself in cultural experiences are just as important.
It was a day well spent, and for that, I’m grateful. Thank you, God, for everything.