MPPSC 2019 Prelims Paper-I · Question 59 of 99

Correct — A, Chhatarpur. The Jal-Bihari (Jal Vihar) mela is a traditional fair held at Chhatarpur, in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh. It centres on the ceremonial 'water-play' or immersion (jal-vihar) of deities in the town's tank and is a long-running local cultural event.

• (b)Sidhi — A district in the Baghelkhand/Rewa region of MP; it is not the venue of the Jal-Bihari fair.
• (c)Hoshangabad — A Narmada-valley district (now Narmadapuram); it hosts other fairs but not the Jal-Bihari mela.
• (d)Sivni — Seoni, a district in the Satpura belt, is not associated with this fair.

Madhya Pradesh has a rich calendar of fairs (melas) tied to particular towns and water bodies. The Jal-Bihari fair belongs to Chhatarpur in Bundelkhand. Knowing 'which fair goes with which place' is a recurring MP general-knowledge theme.

These are pure place-association recalls. Fix the pair Jal-Bihari -> Chhatarpur (Bundelkhand) and don't be pulled toward Narmada-valley or Baghelkhand districts offered as distractors.

• The Jal-Bihari (Jal Vihar) mela is held at Chhatarpur, Bundelkhand, MP.
• It centres on the jal-vihar (ceremonial water immersion) of deities.
• Chhatarpur lies in the Bundelkhand region, near Khajuraho.
• For contrast, the Gotmar mela is held at Pandhurna in Chhindwara district.

• Confusing Bundelkhand fairs with Narmada-valley or Baghelkhand fairs
• Mixing up Chhatarpur (Jal-Bihari) with Chhindwara (Gotmar)

MPPSC asks 'which fair/festival is held where' — memorise the town or region tied to each named MP fair.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Gotmar mela, a stone-throwing fair on the Jam river, is held at Pandhurna in which MP district?

  • (a)Chhindwara
  • (b)Chhatarpur
  • (c)Betul
  • (d)Balaghat

  Answer(a) Chhindwara.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Jal-Bihari fair of Chhatarpur is associated with which cultural region of Madhya Pradesh?

  • (a)Bundelkhand
  • (b)Malwa
  • (c)Nimar
  • (d)Baghelkhand

  Answer(a) Bundelkhand.