Bhubaneswar: The auspicious time (Lagna) for Nuakhai, the iconic agrarian festival of Western Odisha, has been finalized.
According to reports, the newly harvested rice or Navanna will be offered to the presiding deity between 9.35 am and 10:07 am on September 8, 2024. The date and time of the lagna in Bolangir district is finalised taking into account the zodiac and naxatra of Maa Pataneswari and the king of Patanagarh.
The Nirnayak Committee, which is assigned the task of deciding the time for initiating the puja, announced the ‘lagna’ as per the astrological calculations.
Nuakhai, the region’s agrarian festival, holds a unique charm, bringing together family members from far and wide to celebrate in unity. The festival features traditional customs, including offering ‘Nabanna’ to deities amidst Hulahuli, drumbeats, cymbals, and conch shells. On this occasion, youngsters in families seek blessings from elders in the family and locality, known as ‘Nuakhai Juhar’, and exchange greetings, called ‘Nuakhai Bhetghat’.
Additionally, people prepare and share delicacies made from new rice with relatives and friends, and use new items, including clothes, pots, baskets, leaves, and trays, symbolizing the festival’s theme.
