For many Ranchiites, a visit to the grand fair on the occasion of Rath Yatra, set up in Jagannathpur on the outskirts of the capital, is a walk down memory lane. Arguably one of the largest gatherings the city witnesses every year, the Rath Yatra is all set to be held on July 14 this year. Hundreds of makeshift shops have sprung up in the area surrounding the original temple, which dates back to the 17th century. The Rath Yatra brings to life a tradition that has been around for several centuries in Ranchi. From a delicious spread of mouth-watering dishes to the thrill-inducing giant wheels, the Jagannathpur Rath Yatra is a grand spectacle of colours, smells and sounds. Visitors to the fair come from every walk of life from Ranchi and its nearby districts. They come together to celebrate a festival that has become more than just a religious ceremony.If you are planning a visit to this grand fair spread over several acres, be prepared to have your breath taken away. Largely a rural fair, here are some things you must check out at the fair this year…Explore the thrill of buying desi musical instruments like the dhol mandar and what not! Try your hand at them at one of the several makeshift shops selling Jharkhand’s traditional musical instruments or simply watch the sellers trying to sell their items by playing catchy, desi beats on them. If you are a music lover and want to explore the rich musical heritage of rural Jharkhand , the Rath mela is the place to be. Spend some time at these shops learning how these instruments are made and how tuning them could get you the perfect sound. The sellers are friendly and just like any village fair, they will strike up a conversation with you to get their business going.No celebration is complete without food! The fair has areas demarcated for food stalls selling items like khaja and gaja — both deep-fried and dipped in sugar syrup. But the real attraction is the malpua, soaked in a thin sugary syrup and sold by rural women. And if you want a further taste of the local cuisine, head southwards from the temple towards the kiosks selling freshly made rice beer to wash down the food with.Merry-go-rounds, giant wheels and fancy toy trains: what’s a fair without it’s share of fun rides? The rides set up dot the skyline of the fair with hundreds of people making a beeline for them, hoping to get a chance at enjoying some of the coolest rides ever. If you are visiting with a gang of friends, there’s nothing like a ride on the good old giant wheel. Catching an aerial view of the fair, spread over several acres with thousands of people dotting the venue, is breathtaking. Make sure you ride the biggest giant wheel to make the most of the experience!Fishing communities set up stalls in yet another section of the fair, selling fishing hooks, nets and hand-held fishing baskets. Anything and everything you need for fishing is available with the shopkeepers here. If you are a sucker for fun trivia, make sure you pay these stalls a visit and strike up a conversation with the sellers.

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