Centuries-old barter system alive in India

Tiwa woman exchanges goods in the form of barter system during the Udpur Mela about 80km from Guwahati, India on Jan 17, 2023 . This barter system attracts thousands of people from different parts of Assam every year in India.Only goods and no currency changed hands at the several centuries old Udpur Mela as thousands of people belonging to Tiwa and other tribes coming down from the hills of Karbi Anglong and neighbouring Meghalaya were engaged in the annual ritualistic barter trade with the Tiwas and other communities living in the plains to keep alive the world’s ancient trade system. Apart from the Tiwas, the Khasis from the Meghalaya hills also took part in the barter trade.