05 May, 2010

Kolhaiya Mela

Kolhaiya Mela held in Jharkhand is one of the very popular cattle fairs in the state. As a state, fairs and festivals are not new to Jharkhand. There are numerous fairs and festivals celebrated in Jharkhand throughout the year in nearly every season.
Any person fond of rich culture would be delighted to visit the state of Jharkhand as there is some kind of celebration running throughout the year. Out of all, the fairs Cattle fairs are very popular among the localites. One of the most widely celebrated Cattle fair is Kolhaiya Mela.

Being Cattle fair, one of the most important activities in the fair is the buying and selling of cattle.

The Kolhaiya Mela , like other cattle fairs in Jharkhand originated much earlier, around the year 1925, way back before independence and much before Jharkhand was an established state. Till date the fair is held in the Hindu month of Maagh and mainly on Maagh Basant Panchami.

Some other cattle fairs held in Jharkhand other than the Kolhaiya Mela are the Chatra mela, Kundri Mela, Tutilawa Mela, Lawalong Mela and the Belgada Mela.

Jharkhand-Overview:

Jharkhand geographically is located on the eastern side of the Vindhya Hills and at the northern fringes of the Deccan. As a state Jharkhand is famous for its rich culture and heritage that it is successful in preserving till date. Kolhaiya Mela (Pratappur) is one of the major cattle fairs of Jharkhand and it is held at the time of Maagh Basant Panchami. Chatra Mela is another major festival of the state and it is also a cattle fair held during the time of Durga Puja.

How to Reach:

Jharkhand is a well connected state from various parts of India.

By Air:

Ranchi airport is the main airport of Jharkhand which has flights from important place of the country. A number of flights connect Ranchi with Kolkata, Patna, Mumbai and New Delhi.

By Rail:

Ranchi railway station is the main railhead of the state of Jharkhand. Hazaribagh is another important railway station of Jharkhand. Several express trains connect Ranchi and Hazaribagh with Patna, Kolkata and other important places of the country.

By Road:

State capital, Ranchi is situated at the junction of National Highways 23 and 33. Good network of road connects various places of the states with each other and rest of the country. State transport and private buses ply within the state and also to neighboring states like Bihar and West Bengal.

Time of Celebration:

Jharkhand is extremely popular for its culture and diverse tribal groups. There are numerous fairs and Festivals celebrated throughout the year and especially the Cattle fairs are too popular.

The Kolhaiya Fair or Kolhaiya mela is celebrated every year in the months of November-December. According to the Hindu calendar it falls in the month of Maagh. The mela has a religious significance as it is always observed on the Maagh Basant Panchami.


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