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Ashadhi Beej, the Kutchi New Year, is a cultural festival celebrated in connection with the:
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Answer: Option D — Arrival of the monsoon rains
Detailed Solution
Ashadhi Beej is the New Year of the Kutchi people of the Kutch region of Gujarat. It is celebrated on the second day (beej) of the bright half of the month of Ashadha, which usually falls in June or July, at the beginning of the monsoon. The festival is closely associated with the arrival of the rains.
Kutch is a dry region, with a desert climate and low, uncertain rainfall, so the monsoon rains are very important for the farmers, herders and the life of the region. In the past, the people of Kutch waited eagerly for the rains, and the beginning of the rainy season was regarded as the beginning of the new year. According to tradition, the Kutchi New Year was started by the rulers of Kutch, the Jadeja Rajputs. On Ashadhi Beej, the farmers traditionally check the moisture in the atmosphere and the signs of nature to predict how the monsoon will be and which crops will grow well in the coming season.
On this day, Kutchis offer prayers to the gods, especially for good rains, visit temples, greet each other and celebrate with feasts and family gatherings. Kutchis living in other parts of India and abroad also celebrate the day. The Government of Gujarat has declared Ashadhi Beej a holiday in Kutch.
Ashadhi Beej is also the day of the Rath Yatra, which is celebrated on the second day of the bright half of Ashadha. In Gujarat, the Rath Yatra of the Jagannath Temple in Ahmedabad, held on this day, is one of the largest in India, after the Rath Yatra of Puri.
Kutch is the largest district of India by area. It is known for the Great Rann of Kutch and the Rann Utsav, its rich handicrafts (embroidery, bandhani and Rogan painting), the Harappan site of Dholavira (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the Indian wild ass of the Little Rann.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Harvest of wheat is celebrated at Baisakhi in Punjab.
- ✗Arrival of spring is celebrated at festivals such as Vasant Panchami.
- ✗End of winter is celebrated at festivals such as Lohri and Makar Sankranti.
Quick tip
Remember: Ashadhi Beej = the Kutchi New Year, Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya and the arrival of the monsoon. The Rath Yatra of Ahmedabad is held on the same day.
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Festivals & Fairs of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Festivals & Fairs of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the religious, harvest, tribal and cultural festivals of India, the fairs (melas) held across the country, and the states, communities and seasons linked to them. It also includes festivals listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, such as Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja in Kolkata. Most questions ask which state celebrates a festival, which tribe it belongs to, or what event it marks. Harvest festivals are especially common: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), Lohri and Baisakhi (Punjab) and Nuakhai (Odisha). Fairs such as the Pushkar camel fair (Rajasthan) and the Sonepur cattle fair (Bihar) are also frequently tested. Revise festivals state by state. Practise the festivals and fairs questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.