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'Bhagta Parab', a festival of devotion to Budha Baba (Lord Shiva) marked by daring feats, is observed by the tribal people of:
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Answer: Option C — Jharkhand
Detailed Solution
Bhagta Parab is a festival celebrated by the tribal and rural communities of Jharkhand, especially in the Chotanagpur region, as well as in neighbouring parts of West Bengal and Odisha. It is celebrated in the period between spring and summer, around the month of Chaitra (March-April), and it is dedicated to Budha Baba, a form of Lord Shiva.
Bhagta Parab is a festival of devotion and penance. The devotees, called "bhagtas" (devotees), observe a fast and perform rituals and penances to please Budha Baba and to seek his blessings for health, prosperity and the fulfilment of their wishes. The festival is known for its daring and dramatic rituals. Devotees walk on burning coals, and some pierce their bodies with hooks and swing on a tall wooden pole, a ritual known as "charak" or "Gajan", similar to the Charak Puja of West Bengal. The festival also includes martial and acrobatic dances, such as the Chhau dance, performed with masks in some areas, and the "Paika" dance, a martial dance with swords and shields. Drums and other traditional instruments provide the music, and large fairs are held at the places of worship.
Bhagta Parab reflects the blend of tribal and Hindu traditions in Jharkhand, where Lord Shiva is worshipped in many local forms. The festival also marks a time of community gathering and celebration before the hard work of the farming season.
Other festivals of Jharkhand include Sarhul (worship of the Sal tree), Karam (worship of the Karam tree), Sohrai (worship of cattle), Tusu (the winter harvest festival), Jawa and Hal Punhya.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Kerala celebrates Onam and Vishu.
- ✗Goa celebrates Shigmo and Ganesh Chaturthi.
- ✗Punjab celebrates Lohri and Baisakhi.
Quick tip
Remember: Bhagta Parab = Jharkhand, Budha Baba (Shiva), the month of Chaitra and the daring ritual of swinging on a pole, similar to the Charak Puja of Bengal.
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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.