HT Correspondent
JAGIROAD, Jan 20: The historic Jonbeel Mela, popularly known for keeping alive the traditional barter system concluded on Saturday. The Mela was held at the Jonbeel Pathar located near Jagiroad in Morigaon district.
The Mela began on January 18 with rituals being offered at Deosal Temple in the morning followed by unfurling of the flag by the Jonbeel Mela development committee president, Soneswar Doloi and Gova Deoraja and Deepsing Deoraja at the venue.
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Later the traditional Gova Raja attended a community feast and declared the formal opening of the mela. A souvenir ‘Jonbeel’ was also inaugurated by All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) president Utpal Sarma in the evening.
Thousands of people from neighbouring Meghalaya, Karbi Anglong and other parts of the state flocked to the Mela with their native agriculture products and exchanged them with each other where no paper money or coins are used for purchasing goods.
The barter proceedings at the Jonbeel Mela were inaugurated by Morigaon MLA Ramakanta Deuri on the second day of the event in the presence of Tiwa Autonomous Council chief executive member, Jiban Chandra Konwar. The community fishing at the mela bega at 10 am on the same day, followed by a cultural event organized by the North East Regional Cultural Centre.
On the other hand, the 19th traditional Tiwa Raja attended the Rajdarbar that was held on the second day, where MLA Ramakanta Deuri, CEM of Tiwa Autonomous Council Jiban Chandra Pegu and, PA to the state cabinet Minister and local MLA Pijush Hazarika Apurba Deka distributed Rs 1.2 lakh each as Raj Bhatta.
A session was also felicitated by Assam Sourabh awardee Nritya Guru of Tiwa folk dance, Nadiram Deuri and veteran Tiwa scholar Narayan Kumar Radu Kakoti. The session was administered by Jonbeel Mela committee secretary Jursingh Bordoloi.
On the concluding day of the Mela on Saturday, the Gova Deoraja collected token tax from the vendors present in the mela in the morning, while the Uruka was celebrated in the evening. The Gova Bihu begins from the next day. The Morigaon district administration and Tiwa Autonomous Council extended their full cooperation in organizing the historic event.
