SSC
The Bumchu festival, in which a sacred pot of water is opened to predict the fortune of the coming year, is celebrated in:
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Answer: Option C — Sikkim
Detailed Solution
Bumchu is a Buddhist festival celebrated at the Tashiding Monastery in West Sikkim. It is held every year on the 14th and 15th day of the first month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, which usually falls in February or March.
The word "Bumchu" means "sacred vase" or "pot of water" ("bum" means pot and "chu" means water). The festival centres on a sacred pot, which is kept sealed in the monastery throughout the year. During the festival, the lamas (monks) open the pot in the presence of the devotees and measure the level of water in it. The level of the water is believed to predict the fortune of the people of Sikkim for the coming year. If the pot is full to the brim, it indicates a year of bloodshed and disturbances; if it is nearly dry, it indicates famine; and if it is half full, it indicates peace and prosperity. Part of the water is distributed to the devotees as holy water, which is believed to bring blessings, and the pot is then refilled with water from the Rathong Chu river and sealed again for the next year. According to tradition, the pot has been kept at the monastery for centuries, and its water has never dried up.
The Tashiding Monastery was built in the 17th century and belongs to the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It is situated on a hilltop between the Rathong Chu and Rangeet rivers and is regarded as one of the holiest monasteries in Sikkim. Thousands of pilgrims from Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal come to the festival.
Other Buddhist festivals of Sikkim include Losoong, Saga Dawa, Pang Lhabsol, Drukpa Tshe-zhi and Lhabab Dhuechen.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Arunachal Pradesh celebrates Torgya and Losar at Tawang.
- ✗Himachal Pradesh celebrates Halda in its Buddhist areas.
- ✗Ladakh celebrates the Hemis festival and Losar.
Quick tip
Remember: Bumchu = the Tashiding Monastery in Sikkim and the sacred water pot that predicts the year's fortune.
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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.