Melas of India Reading Answers

Jul 9, 2025

Melas of India Reading Answers is an IELTS Reading Answer that contains 8 questions and needs to be completed within 10 minutes. This reading answer also helps you to prepare for your IELTS exam. Melas of India Reading Answers consists of questions like: Look at the 7 descriptions of popular Melas of India. For which Melas are the following statements true?

Participants should go through the IELTS Reading passage to recognise synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section. Practising these IELTS reading problems can help you get comfortable with the structure and increase your confidence for the exam, regardless of whether you are studying for the Academic or General Training module.

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Topic:

Melas of India

A.Kumbh Mela is celebrated every twelve years at four holy places: Prayagraj (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. The grand event is held by rotation, on the banks of the sacred rivers: Godavri, Kshipra, Yamuna and the Ganges, where pilgrims gather for a holy bath. The major attractions of this biggest religious fair are the procession of Naga Sadhus.

B.Sonepur Mela is cattle fair held on a full moon day in Bihar, on the confluence of river Ganges and Gandak. This fair is also known as the Harihar Chhetra Mela, and is the only one of its kind in the world. Haathi Bazaar is one of the major attractions of the fair, where elephants are lined up for sale. Apart from this, all breeds of buffaloes, donkeys, ponies and birds are also available for sale. The largest animal fair in Indian attracts peoples from all around the Asia.

C.Pushkar Fair is one of the world's largest camel fairs, held in the oldest city of Rajasthan, Pushkar. The fair, held on the banks of the Pushkar Lake, attracts a large number of visitors from all around the world, especially from Israel. It is an important tourist attraction.

D.The Hemis Gompa Fair is a religious fair and one of the most auspicious occasions for the Buddhist community in India. The grand fair is held in the months of January/February at the world famous Hemis Gompa, the biggest Buddhist monastery in Ladakh. The most esoteric of festivities are the mystic mask dances, referred collectively as Chams Performance, which is essentially a part of Tantric tradition, performed only in those gompas which follow the Tantric Vajrayana teachings.

E.Chandrabhaga Mela also known as Magha Saptam Mela, is held in February at Khandagiri near Bhubaneswar Orissa. This important fair is celebrated every year during the full moon phase. During the seven day fair thousands of pilgrims gather to bathe in the holy Chandrabhaga river.

F.Ganeasaear Mela is the second largest congregation of mankind after the holy Kumbh mela. This big religious fair is held annually where the holy river Ganges meets the Bay of Bengal in West Bengal. During the time of the fair, thousands of people congregate here for a holy bath.

G.Ambubasi Fair: The Ambubasi Fair is one of the numerous religious fairs and festivals celebrated across India. This three-day traditional fair is organized every year during the monsoons in the Kamakhya temple at Guwahati, Assam. Tens of thousands of devotees from different parts of the country throng the Kamakhya Temple for the three-day fair.

H.Baneshwar Fair: The Baneshwar Fair is most popular tribal fair held in Dungarpur district in Rajasthan during the month of February. This is a religious fair with simple and traditional rituals to worship Lord Shiva. This fair attracts a large number of tribe's from the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh.

Questions 1–8

Look at the 7 descriptions of popular Melas of India. For which Melas are the following statements true?

Write the letters A-H in columns 1-8 of your answer sheet. You may repeat any letter more than once.

1. From start to finish, this mela lasts seven days.

Answer: E

Supporting statement: During the seven day fair thousands of pilgrims

Keywords: seven day, thousands

Keyword Location: Para E, Line 3

Explanation: The Chandrabhaga Mela is celebrated every year during the full moon phase for seven days.

2. The banks of a lake are witness to this mela.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: The fair, held on the banks of the Pushkar Lake,

Keywords: banks, Pushkar

Keyword Location: Para C, Line 2

Explanation: The Pushkar Fair is held on the Pushkar Lake bank in the oldest city of Rajasthan, Pushkar.

3. This mela witnesses the largest congregation of mankind.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: The major attractions of this biggest religious fair are the procession of Naga Sadhus.

Keywords: biggest, procession

Keyword Location: Para A, Line 4

Explanation: According to the text, the Kumbh Mela is the only mela which sees the largest human gathering at one place.

4. This mela is held during the rainy season.

Answer: G

Supporting statement: This three-day traditional fair is organized every year during the monsoons in the Kamakhya temple at Guwahati, Assam.

Keywords: year, monsoons

Keyword Location: Para G, Lines 2-3

Explanation: The Ambubasi Fair is held during the rainy season every year in Assam, Guwahati, at the Kamakhya temple.

5. This mela is held at a junction of two rivers.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: on the confluence of river Ganges and Gandak.

Keywords: Ganges, Gandak

Keyword Location: Para B, Line 2

Explanation: The Sonepur Mela is held on the junction of two rivers, the Ganga and the Gandak, in Bihar on a full moon day.

6. A lot of people from different tribes come to this mela.

Answer: H

Supporting statement: This fair attracts a large number of tribe's from the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh.

Keywords: tribe's, Madhya Pradesh

Keyword Location: Para H, Lines 3-4

Explanation: The Baneshwar Fair is a tribal and simple fair which attracts a lot of people from several tribes living in the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh.

7. Only this mela witnesses a larger gathering of visitors.

Answer: F

Supporting statement: Ganeasaear Mela is the second largest congregation of mankind after the holy Kumbh Mela.

Keywords: Ganeasaea Mela, second

Keyword Location: Para F, Line 1

Explanation: The second-greatest gathering of mankind worldwide is the Ganeasaear Mela held yearly where the holy river Ganges meets the Bay of Bengal in West Bengal.

8. You cannot see the faces of the people dancing at this fair.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: The most esoteric of festivities are the mystic mask dances, referred collectively as Chams Performance,

Keywords: mask dances, Performance

Keyword Location: Para D, Line 4

Explanation: The Hemis Gompa Fair includes a Chams Performance where the dancers are masked, making it impossible to see their faces.

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