In Birbhum district, the fairs (mela in Bengali) are spread right across the district and are thought of as an extension of the concept of markets, a place of not only trade and business but also a meeting place of people and an arena for cultural exchange. The largest and most notable fair is the Poush Mela held at Santiniketan for three days from 7 Poush.Mukhopadhyay, Aditya, Birbhumer Mela, Paschim Banga, Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 203–214, (in Bengali), February 2006, Information and Culture Dept., Government of West Bengal Devendranath Tagore with twenty followers accepted the Brahmo creed from Ram Chandra Vidyabagish on 21 December 1843 (7 Poush 1250 according to the Bengali calendar). This was the basis of Poush Utsav (the Festival of Poush) at SantiniketanBasak, Tapan Kumar, Rabindranath-Santiniketan-Sriniketan (An Introduction), p. 36, B.B.Publication
