Assam's rural fair keeps centuries-old barter system alive

With a bagful of organically grown ginger, Parbati Ingtipi walked for nearly an hour on Friday morning before boarding a bus for Jonbeel Mela, a traditional fair at Jagiroad in central Assam's Morigaon district.

The woman farmer belonging to Karbi tribe came down the hills not just to buy goods of her choice but to be part of an occasion that has kept the centuries-old barter system alive. Parbati exchanged the giner with dry fish, rice cakes, curd and relished pork curry prepared with bamboo shoot by those belonging to Tiwa community in Morigaon district.

Women exchange fish and ginger in Jonbeel Mela in Morigaon district on Saturday. (Photo by Anuwar Hazarika/Morigaon)

Hundreds like Parbati walked down the hills to the bank of Jonbeel, a wetland situated about 50-km east of Guwahati. Saturday was the last day of the three-day-long traditional fair, which is organised three days after Bhogali Bihu, Assam's annual post-harvest festival.

According to the organiser, the fair began in the sixth century during the erstwhile Tiwa kingdom but had seen changes with the passage of time. "Earlier all items were exchanged and money was not at all in use. But now goods are sold by merchants and shopkeepers. But we have tried to keep the tradition of barter system alive separately. This barter system attracts thousands of people from different parts of Assam every year," Pranab Marsang, an organiser told reporters.

Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal attended the function on Saturday in which the descendant of Tiwa kingdom, Dipsingh Deoraja symbolically collected "taxes" from Tiwa villagers. "This is just symbolic and to keep the tradition alive for the new generation," Marsang said. Sonowal also contributed his "tax" to the Tiwa king as a gesture.

Sonowal, who has been drawing flak from the ethnic communities over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act used the occasion to assure the large crowd that he was committed to protect and promote identity, language, and culture of the communities. "Jonbeel Mela is a reflection of our rich tradition and culture and a perfect example of how we can keep our tradition alive for our children," Sonowal said. Indigenous communities fear that CAA would endanger their identity by giving citizenship to a large number of Hindu Bengali migrants from neighboring Bangladesh.

Sonowal had last year announced funding support to develop the ground and a community hall for the Jonbeel Mela.