Nuakhai Agricultural Festival celebrated in Odisha

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Nuakhai is a festival in western Odisha

Newly prepared grains are brought home on the occasion of Nuakhai Agricultural Festival. The grain is brought home. It is then offered to the deities. It is also used in daily life. At this time, the whole family gathers together. This festival is then celebrated. Therefore, it is considered as a festival that promotes social cohesion. Various cultural and sports festivals are organized in Odisha on the backdrop of this festival.

Nuakhai Agricultural Festival –

Today The Nuakhai Agricultural Festival is being celebrated with great enthusiasm in the state of Odisha on the 11th. Newly prepared grains are brought home on the occasion of Nuakhai Agricultural Festival. It is then offered to the deities. It is also used in daily life. At this time, the whole family gathers together. This festival is then celebrated. Therefore, it is considered as a festival that promotes social cohesion. Various cultural and sports festivals are organized in Odisha on the backdrop of this festival.

Nuakhai Agricultural Festival-

Nuakhai is a festival in western Odisha. ‘Nua’ means new, and ‘Khay’ means to eat. This event marks the use of the first harvested crop. On the second day of Ganesh Chaturthi, Bhadraba Shuklapakhya falls on Panchami. It is the most important festival in the region.

Nuakhai is mainly celebrated in Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Sundergarh, Sonepur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Boudh and Athmallik sub-divisions of Angul. Western Odisha travelers living in different parts of the country and abroad also celebrate. This is the most important day of the year.

Importance of Nuakhai Festival –

Nuakhai is celebrated by people from socio-economic strata. The Agriculture Festival marks the harvest of a new paddy crop in the area where agriculture is the primary occupation. The hill tribes of western Odisha were inhabited by tribals, who depended on hunting and gathering food for their livelihood. As residents choose a more settled lifestyle through farming, the festival serves as a celebration that promotes farming practices.

It is not clear when Nuakhai started as an organized festival. But thanking the deity for giving us food for life is a tradition from ancient times, the records of which date back to the Vedic period. Ancient Trishis had planned five important activities to be followed by the agricultural community. These activities are collectively called Punch Yajna.

Nuakhai Punch Yajna –

Sita Yajna (land tillage), Pravapan Yajna (sowing of seeds), Pralamban Yajna (first crop harvesting), Khala Yajna (harvesting of grain) and Prarthana Yajna (preservation of produce). It is believed that the festival of Nuakhai is associated with the Pralambana Yajna or the first harvest. According to oral tradition, an organized method of celebrating Nuakhai was introduced in the 14th century by Raja Ramai Dev, the founder of the state of Patna. This practice not only boosted the economy of the region, but also created a sense of brotherhood.

At the beginning of the day, ‘Nabanna’ or the first harvested grain is offered to the local deity of the region. Goddess Samaleshwari in Sambalpur, Patneshwari in Bolangir / Patangarh, Manikeshwari in Kalahandi, Shekharbasini in Sundergarh and Sureshwari in Sonepur are offered ‘Nua’ at a predetermined time called ‘Lagna’.

Celebration of Nuakhai –

Once the temple rites are over, the festival is celebrated in everyone’s home. The head of the family, who is usually the eldest member of the family, prays and performs rituals. After this, ‘nua’ i.e. rice grain is distributed to each member. After the Mother Earth provides food for their sustenance and thanks to Almighty God for keeping them together for another year, the members eat rice. This is followed by ‘Nuakhai Juhar’. Where young congregations touch the feet of parents and receive compassionate blessings. Also friends and relatives meet, and greet each other by joining hands with Nuakhai Juhar.

Nuakhai festival food –

On this occasion the preparation of two of the most beloved dishes of the place is seen- flour and salt. Sweets like Arisa, Kakra, Manda, Chakli, Mag-Bara, and Khiri are prepared. Carnivores are typically cooked with mutton curry and taken with rice. Popular folk dance forms such as Dalkhai, Rasarkeli, Malajada, Bajnia, Nachnia and Chutkuta are performed on foot-tapping beats of traditional instruments to the beat of drums, tasa, nissan and sweet sambalpuri songs.

Socio-Cultural Institution Nuakhai Festival –

Many socio-cultural organizations celebrate Nuakhai in their area. In cities like Delhi, Chennai, Vadodara, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Lucknow, Pune and even London and Dubai.

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What is Nuakhai festival ?

How to Celebrate Nuakhai festival ?

Once the temple rites are over, the festival is celebrated in everyone’s home. The head of the family, who is usually the eldest member of the family, prays and performs rituals.

Where is Celebrate Nuakhi festival ?

Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Sundergarh, Sonepur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Boudh and Athmallik sub-divisions of Angul. Western Odisha travelers living in different parts of the country and

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