Railway
The Jon Beel Mela, where the barter system is still practised, is held in which state?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option B — Assam
Detailed Solution
The Jon Beel Mela is held every year at Joonbeel (Jon Beel) near Jagiroad in Morigaon district, Assam. It takes place for three days in January, soon after the Magh Bihu (Bhogali Bihu) harvest festival.
The fair is unique because the old barter system is still practised there. People from the hill tribes, such as the Tiwa (Lalung), Karbi, Khasi and Jaintia, come down from the hills with products like ginger, turmeric, chillies, pumpkins and other forest and farm produce. They exchange these goods directly with the people of the plains, who offer rice, pithas (rice cakes), dried fish and other items. No money is used in these exchanges.
The fair is believed to have begun in the 15th century. It was traditionally presided over by the Tiwa (Gobha) king, who still attends the fair and collects tribute from his subjects. The name "Jon Beel" refers to a large natural water body (beel) shaped like a crescent moon (jon means moon in Assamese).
Before the fair starts, an Agni Puja (fire worship) is performed for the welfare of mankind. A community fishing event is also held in the Jon Beel lake. The fair celebrates harmony and brotherhood between the hill tribes and the plains people.
Other important fairs and festivals of Assam:
- Ambubachi Mela at the Kamakhya temple, Guwahati.
- Rongali (Bohag) Bihu, the Assamese New Year in April.
- Majuli Raas Mahotsav on Majuli island.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Meghalaya is known for Nongkrem and Wangala.
- ✗Manipur is known for Lai Haraoba and Ningol Chakouba.
- ✗Nagaland is known for the Hornbill festival.
Quick tip
Remember: Jon Beel Mela = Morigaon, Assam, January after Magh Bihu, barter system, Tiwa king presides.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Festivals & Fairs of India Questions
View all ›- Q1.The Sarhul festival of Jharkhand, celebrated with traditional dances when the sal trees blossom, is especially associated with which tribe?
- Q2.'Chad Sukra', a popular traditional dance festival of the Pnar (Jaintia) people of Meghalaya, is celebrated as a:
- Q3.Which festival, celebrated in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, honours Gogaji, the folk deity worshipped as a protector against snakes?
- Q4.The 'Doul Utsav', a celebration of Holi linked with the Vaishnava satras, is mainly celebrated in which state?
- Q5.The Bhagoria festival of the Bhil tribes of Madhya Pradesh is associated with which major festival?
More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
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.