Anyone who wants to have a  first-hand experience of the age-old barter system and a pocket full of the love of the tribal people of the hills, should not miss any opportunity of visiting the Jonbeel Mela. This unique mela is an annual event orgnised in  Dayang Belguri in Morigaon District of Assam.

Jonbeel Mela is a three-day long festival that takes place every year on the weekend of Magh Bihu (Assamese festival) on the bank of Jonbeel. The word ‘Jon‘ means moon and ‘Beel’ means wetland in the Assamese language.

The wetland is called ‘Jonbeel’ because this large natural water body is shaped like a crescent moon. 

The festival gets the tag of a unique festival due to the practice of the barter system. The tribals from the hills descend to the plains with their products and exchange it with items from the plains.

They exchange agricultural products like fresh ginger, turmeric, arum, sesame, wild potatoes, chilies, herbs, other vegetables, fruits, rice cakes, dried fish, fresh fish, poultry, different types of aromatic rice, etc with the people from the plains.

In the mela, the items are sold without the use of weighing scales, like the old days. Measurements are made with bowls and hands, and both parties decide how much each should get.

The festival begins with Agni Puja where the god of fire is worshiped. The puja is followed by fishing in jonbeel by different communities. The whole atmosphere gets cheerful with people singing Bihu songs, cracking jokes, teasing one another while catching fish.

Without warning, groups of 30 to 40 people jump into the freezing water with their nets, searching the shallow lake for small fish. As their songs get louder, so does their xenophobic cursing aimed at the fisherfolk clad in lungis.

The people of the locality feel that the festival also fosters in the feeling of brotherhood, harmony, and love among different communities. The bonhomie only grows as tribal families stay on for days at the venue of the fair, a paddy field.

 During the festival period, the people from the hills make their own bamboo tents to set up their stalls and also to sleep and eat. Another item in the list of traditional events that the Jonbeel mela boosts of keeping alive are the local cockfight, which is held on the second day of the festival.

It is an interesting opportunity where the tribes not only welcomes one to their life with a big smile but also gives the rare opportunity to peep into their lifestyle closely as well. One can also gather the experience of watching pork being cooked in a bamboo tube. 

The mela consists of fifty food outlets serving traditional smoked meats all day, along with bottles of the very popular homemade rice beer and other ethnic dishes. The simplicity, humbleness and hospitable nature add additional beauty to the place.