The district Birbhum which is known as ‘Lal-Matir Desh’ because of its red soil or Lal-Mati, is now also famous for Shantiniketan, Bolpur where the Vishwa-Bharati University by the great poet and novelist Rabindranath Tagore is located. Another beautiful site named Sonajhuri is now also famous for the beautiful tourist attraction Khoai Mela or Shonibarer Haat, which is a weekly Saturday afternoon bazaar set up by local artisans in Santiniketan, Birbhum district, West Bengal. This Mela has been taking place for over 20 years and it has also now become a part of Bengali Culture. Khoai Mela is named after the Khoai region or Kopai River and as it takes place every Saturday It is also called Shanibarer Haat due. This Mela starts every Saturday in the afternoon and closes at sundown and can also take place on Sunday morning. Khoai Mela is an open-air Mela on the red soil fully surrounded by Sal, Sagoon, and Eucalyptus trees. In Khoai Mela all the items are completely handmade and are sold at very reasonable prices and most of the shop owners are women.

The Khoai Mela originally started to explore Santhali tribes and the art, music, and songs of local peoples on a larger scale. The local Baul singers present traditional folk music and songs by stringing their ektaras and the Santhali tribes present their folk dance named Lungi Panchi Dance. The main attractions of Khoai Mela are affordable handmade artifacts, such as embroidered scarves, blouses, salwar kameez, kurta, shirts, different kinds of bags and purses, handicrafts, necklaces, earrings, wall hangings, Beautiful ektaras, hand-made jewelry, leather & handloom bags, handloom embroidered sarees, wooden home decor, and wooden household items, amazing wooden chairs, and other stuff, and a lot more which are beautiful and gorgeous. You can buy some of the other things like tons of junk jewelry, shawls, terracotta items like pots and plates, and spoons at Khoai Mela or Shonajhuri Haat. This place gives us the feeling of being at home away from home. You can go with friends or family and can have a great weekend.