Land not available, Kashipur's historic horse market shuts down

RUDRAPUR: The annual 'Nakhasa Bazaar,' a 170-year-old tradition of the Chaiti fair in Udham Singh Nagar's Kashipur, which is held during the Navratras, has been cancelled this year due to unavailability of land. Known for rare horse breeds, the market once drew traders from across India. According to local lore, even bandits like Sultana Daku and Phoolan Devi "blended into the crowd to buy horses".The market's abrupt closure marks the end of an era, as per locals. The two-acre land that once hosted this bustling bazaar has been divided among the Panda family, custodians of the fair, who informed traders that it was no longer available for hosting the market.Believed to have been established by Hussain Baksh, a prominent horse trader from UP's Rampur in 1855, the Nakhasa market was once a thriving hub for traders from Afghanistan, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. In recent years, however, the number of participating regions dwindled, with traders primarily coming from Punjab, Gujarat, UP, and Haryana, selling horses in a price range of Rs 40,000 to Rs 40 lakh. Over 50 horses were sold every year."Around 10 to 12 breeds of horses would arrive each year for sale," said local historian Rupesh Singh. Prized breeds like Marwari, Sindhi, Kathiawadi, Spiti and Manipuri, which are valued for their speed, were star attractions. "The significance of the market went beyond commerce. This was a living relic of our past, where history and trade intertwined. It was a cultural institution that reflected the socio-economic dynamics of the region. Its closure is a loss not just for Kashipur but for the entire region," Singh said.In recent years, the dwindling number of buyers had cast a shadow over the market's existence. The news of the bazaar's closure came as a shock for many traders who had travelled long distances, expecting another successful season. On Sunday morning, around 100 horses arrived from cities across UP and Rajasthan, only to be turned away. "We were ready to set up shop, but there was no space available," said a trader, his voice heavy with frustration.Chief priest of Ma Bal Sundari Devi temple, Krishna Gopal Agnihotri, told TOI: "We had no choice but to ask the horse traders to return." As traders packed up their horses and began the long journey home, the dust settled on an empty field that had once pulsed with life.