Bhubaneswar: The Nuakhai fervour, the major agrarian festival, gripped western Odisha today as people from all walks of life came together to celebrate the occasion with great enthusiasm. The celebration began today after the ‘Nabanna’ (newly harvested rice) was offered to Maa Samaleswari, the presiding deity of western Odisha, at the pre-scheduled time between 09.12 AM and 09.27 AM today.
The festival, which marks the beginning of the new rice harvest, was observed with traditional rituals and ceremonies.
According to tradition, the first harvested crop was offered to Goddess Samaleswari in Sambalpur, followed by family members gathering to partake in a ceremonial meal. The eldest member of the family led the ceremony, serving the new rice to all, symbolizing unity and blessings for prosperity.
All the junior members of the family seek blessings of seniors by bowing down and touching their feet. The day witnesses the exchange of wishes among the loved ones.
The festival is celebrated to welcome the new rice of the season and to express gratitude for bumper crops, good rain, and favourable weather for farming activities. People worship their presiding deities during Nuakhai celebrations, seeking blessings for a prosperous harvest.
Nuakhai holds cultural and spiritual significance, reinforcing values of gratitude, community bonding, and respect for nature’s bounty. People dressed in traditional attire exchanged gifts, and sought blessings from elders, reflecting the cultural richness of western Odisha.
The festival typically falls on the day after Ganesh Chaturthi in the Hindu month of Bhadraba (August-September). This year’s celebration was marked by great fervour, with families and communities coming together to offer the first produce of the harvest to their deities.
Nuakhai, which translates to “new rice” in Odia, is a celebration of the new harvest season. It signifies prosperity, gratitude, and community bonding, and is an integral part of western Odisha’s cultural heritage.
