Thousands of Hindu devotees and visitors are flocking to the nearly 400-year-old traditional Rath Mela at Laupala in Bagerhat every day, where religious devotion blends with a vibrant rural fair featuring handicrafts, household goods, amusement rides and giant "Balish Mishti."

The month-long fair, regarded locally as one of the country's oldest and largest Rath festivals, began on July 16 with the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath at the Sri Sri Gopal Jiu Temple at Laupala village in Bagerhat Sadar upazila.

Visitors of all ages have been crowding the fairgrounds every day, browsing stalls selling traditional handicrafts, bamboo and cane products, toys, cosmetics, household items and religious articles. Circus shows, amusement rides and food stalls have also become major attractions.

One of the fair's biggest crowd-pullers is the famous "Balish Mishti" (pillow sweet), a giant sweet weighing around one and a half kg and selling for Tk 500 apiece.

Devotees from Bagerhat as well as different other districts, including Dhaka, Khulna, Jashore, Satkhira, Narail and Gopalganj, have been visiting the fair to take part in the annual festival.

According to organisers, the Rath Yatra at the temple has been observed for nearly four centuries. Local tradition holds that it is the country's second-largest Rath festival.

The return journey of Lord Jagannath's chariot, known as Ulto Rath, is scheduled for July 24. Many devotees believe that touching the chariot's rope brings spiritual blessings and absolves sins.

"We have been setting up stalls at this fair for six decades, and this year business has been very good as visitor numbers are high," said Biren Debnath, who sells religious pictures and devotional items.

Toy seller Abdur Razzak said he has been participating in the fair for around 35 years and brought a large collection of toys in anticipation of strong sales.

Vendors selling traditional bamboo and cane products said the fair remains an important platform for preserving rural crafts and supporting local artisans.

Organisers said this year's event has been arranged on a larger scale than in previous years and is being attended by thousands of people every day.

Sanjay Kumar Ghosh, general secretary of the Rath Festival Committee, said the fair reflects the area's long tradition of communal harmony, with people of different faiths joining the celebrations.

Police have taken extensive security measures to ensure the month-long festival remains peaceful, with uniformed and plain-clothes personnel deployed across the fairgrounds, officials said.