Nuakhai: Odisha’s harvest festival that celebrates the reaping of paddy
Why Is Nuakhai Celebrated In Odisha: On the next day of Ganesh Chaturthi, on the fifth day of the lunar fortnight in the month of Bhadrava. The collective agricultural festival and folk festival of West Odisha, Nuakhai, was celebrated. Bhog made from the new crop was offered to the revered goddess Maa Sri Samaleswari.
No other festival in this region is celebrated with such pomp and gaiety as Nuakhai. People of the region worship their deities as a mark of gratitude for a good harvest, good rains, and favorable weather for farming. As per the prevalent tradition, every farmer offers the first grain of his crop to his Kuldevi-Devta and then shares it.
Offering Paddy to Deities:
Nuakhai is celebrated in the month of Bhadrava to offer the first grains of a short-duration paddy crop to the Kuldevtas (family deities) before any birds can touch them. This early offering symbolizes purity and devotion.
Newly Harvested Rice for Regional Goddesses:
On Nuakhai, newly harvested rice is ceremoniously offered to the kuldevi-devtas of various regions at an auspicious time. Key goddesses include Samaleswari in Sambalpur, Patneswari in Balangir, Sureshwari in Sonpur, Shekharvasini in Sundargarh, and Manikeswari in Kalahandi.
Traditional Dishes and Family Gatherings:
Families reunite for the festival, with people returning to their native places. Homes are filled with the aroma of special traditional dishes, and all family members sit and eat together, reinforcing familial bonds.
Nuakhai Juhar – A Greeting Ritual:
A core tradition of the festival is ‘Nuakhai Juhar’, where people exchange greetings with relatives and elders, seeking their blessings for happiness, longevity, and prosperity.
Folk Songs and Dance in the Evening:
Cultural programs are held in the evening, featuring folk songs and dances such as Sambalpuri Rasarakeli, Dalkhai, Mylazhada, Chutkuchuta, Sajni, Nachaniya, and Bajaniya, bringing communities together in celebration.
Unified Celebration Since 1992:
While Nuakhai was once celebrated on different days in different regions, since 1992, it is observed on the same day across West Odisha, establishing it as a unifying cultural event, much like Bihu in Assam, Baisakhi in Punjab, or Onam in Kerala.
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