A mela is a big fair where many people gather to buy, sell, eat, play, and celebrate. In India, melas are held at festival times, at harvest time, and near temples and rivers. In Thailand, temple fairs called ngan wat are very similar, with bright lights, food stalls, and music. At a mela you can see potters selling clay pots, weavers selling cloth, farmers selling fruit and vegetables, and toy makers selling wooden toys and paper windmills. There are giant wheels, merry-go-rounds, puppet shows, magicians, and folk dancers.
A mela is a good place to see how many different people work together. The stall owners, the cooks frying jalebis and samosas, the ride operators, the police who keep everyone safe, and the sweepers who clean up afterwards are all needed. Visitors come from villages and cities and speak many languages. We must also be careful at a mela: stay with your family, do not eat food that is uncovered or dirty, drink only clean water, and do not throw wrappers on the ground. A mela shows us that people of different religions, jobs, and languages can enjoy the same place together.
Example: With your family, visit a local fair or a busy market. Make a list of ten different things being sold and ten different jobs you can see people doing. Draw the stall you liked best.