Shafi Shiddique:
Haryana State has acquired best position in all states of India. No doubt, any country or state is known for a particular reason. Similarly, Surajkund international crafts Mela of Haryana State in the world famous fair and many countries of the world participate in the fair and display their culture, language, lifestyle and foods. Moreover, they try to serve everything before us which could be possible by them. Unfortunately, we are enable to represent our own heritages at our soil. Do we not thus feel that we have installed a market instead of fair by selecting people across the country & out of the country in Surajkund Mela?
Apart from this, why should we call Surajkund as ‘Surajkund Mela’? What’s a thing overthere? Why the people also not come there after 15th February?
The things is this, the Mela is a hypocrite, which has kept countless question marks. Regrettably, the mela is cheating with the world instead of improving its condition.
Let me tell you
Surajkund is an ancient reservoir of the 10th century, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) away to the south west from a more ancient dam of the 8th century called the Anagpur Dam; both are located 8 km (5 miles) from South Delhi in Faridabad, Haryana,
Surajkund (literal meaning is ‘Lake of the Sun’) is an artificial Kund (‘Kund’ means “lake” or reservoir) built in the backdrop of the Aravalli hills with an amphitheatre shaped embankment constructed in semicircular form. It is said to have been built by the Gurjar king Suraj Pal of Tomar dynasty in the 10th century. Tomar was a sun worshipper and he had therefore built a Sun temple on its western bank.
Even though the Tomar dynasty vanished in the 12th century, the Surajkund has not been affected. It attracted the attention of the Haryana Government to develop the area as a tourist spot by introducing an annual crafts ‘Mela’ or “fair” titled “Surajkund Crafts Mela” in the precincts of the lake, which over the years has attracted wide publicity and become an iconic event. In the backdrop of the lake, during the spring season, every year from February 1–15, a colorful traditional craft festival of India is held in the precincts of Surajkund. This fair was first started in 1987.
Ecological issues
The ecological disaster that is causing the rapid depletion of ground water in the Aravalli hill range between Tughlaqabad and Gurgaon via Surajkund due to indiscriminate mining has invited the attention of the
Supreme Court of India through the efforts of environmental activist. This activity is also stated to be affecting the adjoining Asola Forest and Wildlife Sanctuary. Consequent to a writ petition filed by the Delhi Ridge Management Board, the Supreme Court has asked the Haryana Government “to stop all mining activities and pumping of groundwater within a (5 kilometres (3 mi)), radius of the Delhi-Haryana border in the Haryana Ridge and in the Aravali hills.
Significantly, the mela is being organized last three decades. Since then million of visitors from the world visit in the mela every year, no doubt the state govt. earns more and more money by the fair, but the question is here that what steps the state has raised for regenerate of the heritage? Why its organizer covering to save themselves by saying this that it is an archaeological matter. The administration should not pour dust in public eyes. This matter could not be hidden for longtime. The state govt. might be lost it identity and the revenue of the state if time doesn’t sort out the matter.
