WVA -- This Year, Every Year

Those who say the WVA (Women's Voluntary Association) mela is just not what it used to be are only half right. Things have changed. People who used to go to the fair years ago with their parents now go with their teenage friends or even their own spouses and children. But they still go. WVA has become a sort of tradition, long awaited for every year by hundreds of Dhakaites.

This year's WVA mela, which finally took place recently, again attracted hundreds of buyers and thousands of viewers. There were a number of stalls, local and foreign, catering to everything from clothes and shoes to home decoration items, plants, CD's, posters and various other memorabilia. Souvenirs to take home included not only local Karika and Needlecraft handicrafts but also Thai woodwork, Burmese stone jewellery and Pakistani shawls.

Along with well-known stores like Kay Kraft, Kanishka, Mayasir and Midas were slightly lesser known stalls such as Aajkal, Pehnawaa, Smartex(opening soon), Gathon Saree Ghar and even Kasauti Zindagi Kay! There was a Sports Zone in one corner and of course, this season, there was bound to be a Devdas Churi stall! The FOWA (Foreign Office Wives' Association) along with their goods from all over the world, had their usual and rather popular raffle draw with, again, Dhaka-Kolkata air ticket prizes. They weren't the only ones, however. WVA had their own raffle sale with a micro oven, more Dhaka-Kolkata tickets, sarees and a number of other gifts in prizes. WVA's Babyland and Sewing Group also had their outlets at the fair.

Food stalls included Sausly's, Rainbow, Pran, Drive-In (?) BBQ and a number of kebab places. Some of the most popular (and good) food items were the Indonesian satays and chow-mein which, people complained, finished all too soon and even before everyone could get some.

Entertainment for children and the "not-so-children" comprised the usual mini ferris wheel, a small merry-go-round and live action at the magic and puppet shows. There were rather few real children to be seen, however, but one knew they were there from the dual announcement counters where lost children and raffle draws were being announced simultaneously.

Like every year, people complained about the dust -- on their shoes, their clothes and everywhere else for that matter. But that definitely did not stop the crowds from pouring in continuously and growing in number at a rather alarming rate at around 5 o' clock -- as they always do -- for, let's face it, WVA was and is the cool place to catwalk on, whether in jeans, the latest shalwar-kameezes in fashion, saris, or a blend of it all. And for the guys, it's probably one of the largest annual evening hangouts with their little pow-wows seated all over Gulshan Shishu Park.

All in all, judging from the crowds and the not-so-low sales, the WVA mela this year was quite a success. Stall owners were surprised and dismayed at the large gaps among the small crowds on the field in the early afternoon bounced back later on in the day. Crowds gathered in front of almost every stall and larger than the numbers seeping out through the gates at the scheduled closing time of 5 o'clock were the groups still swarming in. which probably meant that, if nothing else, most of the stall owners at least made up for the stall rent of Tk. 3,500. Because, no matter how bad the WVA is claimed to be in recent years, there are some who don't go there for at least a look and a little chat with those they haven't seen in months. And then checking each other out over a bite to eat and a couple of shopping bags is only natural.