KING'S MARTS AND MELAS: A PRESENT TIWA ETHNOGRAPHY

The Tiwas are one of the major tribes of North East India. They had several kingdoms (principalities) known as Datialia, Sato-rajya and Pachorajya kingdoms and had marts where they exchanged goods in the absence of coins or currency. They had the barter system in those marts and with the system they fullled necessities of all products and amenities to run their day to day life. This tradition has been since the 16th and 17th century in the foothills and plains of middle Assam to the known sources. The tradition turned to 'Mela' (fair) form in transition and still it takes place under the auspices of present ceremonial kings of Gobha and Khola kingdoms of Datialia kingdoms and in many by the celebration committees of the areas. With the emergence of the modern concept of marts and markets the Tiwas had been indoctrinated to the Mela tradition, means the festival of public outing for shops or markets in the winter season along the celebration of Magh Pisu and the Mela Uliuwa tradition during the spring season with the celebration of Bisag Pisu. Tiwa kings and the ofce bearers of 'Rajane Munthriraw' (King's Council of Ministers) participate together in both the Melas of winter and spring season. The Mela traditions have further been changed with modernity in the passage of time. This paper tries to nd the continuity and changes in Tiwa king's marts and Melas and its signicance in present day Tiwa traditional way of life.