Which of the following cultural practices are not related to the agrarian structure?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Mariamma Festival
Option (4) Mariamma Festival — Not related to agrarian life (Correct). Mariamma (Mariamman) is a village mother goddess of South India, worshipped chiefly for protection from diseases such as smallpox. Her festival is held in honour of the goddess, not to mark the harvest or the beginning of an agricultural season as the other three New Year festivals do.
NCERT (2025-26): “…But land is not just a ‘means of production’ nor just a ‘form of property’. Nor is agriculture just a form of livelihood. It is also a way of life. Many of our cultural practices and patterns can be traced to our agrarian backgrounds. You will recall from the earlier chapters how closely interrelated structural and cultural changes are. For example, most of the New Year festivals in different regions of India – such as Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Bihu in Assam, Baisakhi in Punjab and Ugadi in Karnataka to name just a few – actually celebrate the main harvest season and herald the beginning of a new agricultural season. Find out about other harvest festivals.” |