SSC CGL 2024 Tier-I · 25 September 2024, Shift 3 · General Awareness · Question 2 of 100

Text as printed on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; answer per SSC's tentative key as marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 10 September 2026.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. The questions and options here are reproduced as printed on a candidate's own response sheet for this shift — the Commission's text, unchanged. Each answer is SSC's tentative key as marked on that sheet; SSC allowed challenges to it and never publishes a final key. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

Hola Mohalla is a festival associated with which religion/belief?

(a)Islam
(b)Sikhism
(c)Buddhism
(d)Jainism

Answer

Why

Correct — B. Hola Mohalla is a Sikh gathering, not a general spring festival.

Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, began it at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab and set it on the day after Holi, turning a festival of colour into a display of arms. The name comes from halla, a charge, and mohalla, an organised column.

Nihang Sikhs still lead it with mock battles, gatka fencing, horsemanship and langar for the crowds — option (b).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Islam — Islamic festivals run on the Hijri lunar calendar and move about eleven days earlier each solar year. Hola Mohalla is pinned to the day after Holi, an Indian lunisolar date, and is held at a gurdwara.
(c)
Buddhism — The main Buddhist observance in India is Buddha Purnima, the Vaisakha full moon marking the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing. It has no connection with Anandpur Sahib.
(d)
Jainism — Jain practice centres on Paryushana and Mahavir Jayanti, occasions of fasting, confession and forgiveness. A martial fair is the opposite of the Jain festival idea.

Concept

Hola Mohalla is the Sikh community's annual martial fair at Anandpur Sahib, the town where Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa.

The Guru's intent was practical. Holi as celebrated around him was play, and he wanted the same gathering to rehearse defence, so he set the day after Holi aside for mock combat, archery, swordsmanship and riding.

The Nihangs, the order of Sikh warriors in blue robes and tall turbans, are the custodians of that tradition and still stage the displays. Free community kitchens, langar, feed the visitors throughout.

General Awareness pairs festivals with communities constantly, and the reliable method is to fix each festival to a place as well as a faith. Hola Mohalla belongs to Anandpur Sahib in Rupnagar district, not to Amritsar, which is the Sikh centre most students name by reflex.

Key facts

Hola Mohalla is held at Anandpur Sahib in Rupnagar district, Punjab.
It falls on the day after Holi, in the month of Chet.
Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, began the gathering as a display of martial skill.
Nihang Sikhs lead its mock battles, gatka fencing and horsemanship.

Study next

Guru Gobind Singh and the founding of the Khalsa at Anandpur SahibThe ten Sikh Gurus in order, with the institution each is remembered forRegional festivals matched to their state and community

Common traps

Reading 'Hola' as Holi and answering a Hindu-festival option.
Placing the fair at Amritsar, the better-known Sikh centre, instead of Anandpur Sahib.

SSC asks festival-to-community pairings in exactly this form. Gurpurab and Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary come up at 10 Sep 2024, 09:00, GA Q.24, Sangken and Buddhism in Arunachal Pradesh at 10 Sep 2024, 16:00, GA Q.7.

Paryushana and the Jains are asked at 17 Sep 2024, 09:00, GA Q.17, and Easter at 18 Sep 2024, 16:00, GA Q.6. Sikh history is also asked directly, as with the Singh Sabha movement of 1873 at 18 Sep 2024, 16:00, GA Q.24.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.