Trade fairs are market events of a specific duration, held at intervals, at which a large number of companies present the main product range of one or more industrial sectors and mainly sell it on the basis of samples. Trade fairs predominantly attract trade and business visitors.The origin of fairs dates back to to the periods of the prosperous Egyptian and Roman empires. But, the first fair, "which had not only cash-and-carry products, but also production means, was the Leipzig fair (Germany) held in the year 1165." However, the modern day trade fairs have strong roots in the industrial revolution. The Industrial revolution, set in the 18th century, necessitated new sales and distribution channels and, thereby, affected even trade fairs' organization to a great extent. Especially, the 21st century, witnessed trade fair industry evolve into a global industry, led by globalization of economies and connected by modern office automation tools.
In India, the origin of trade fairs, is primarily associated with some kind of religious function, going as far back as the epic age. Cultural and cattle fairs are a few fairs that have been associated with these religious functions in one or the other corner of the country. Many religious fairs such as Kumbh Mela, have been organized in different parts of the country for many centuries. Wherever and whenever people thronged in millions, it encouraged some sort of exchange in either cash or kind which gradually evolved into a trading function in specific categories, especially in cattle, clothes and novelties, in the olden days. In the middle ages and modern times, this activity has blossomed into a more developed one. Pushkar fair is one such religious-cum-cultural-cum-trade fair wherein trading takes place in cattle in large numbers, perhaps the largest such trading of the world. |
