Bhubaneswar: The COVID-19 pandemic has put a curb on the festive spirit of mass agrarian festival “Nuakhai” which is being celebrated today. Nuakhai is the most important festival of Western Odisha. Nuakhai festival is another great festival of the state of Odisha which is known for celebrating 13 festivals in 12 months as said popularly in Odia ‘Bara Massa re Teraa Parva’.
Nuakhai is observed to welcome the new rice of the season. According to the calendar it is observed on panchami tithi (the fifth day) of the lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada or Bhadraba (August–September), the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Nuakhai is also called ‘Nuakhai Parab’ or ‘Nuakahi Bhetghat’. The word ‘nua’ means ‘new’ and ‘khai’ means ‘food’.
Traditions of Nuakhai
Nuakhai is the agricultural festival of people of western Odisha. The festival is observed throughout Odisha, but it is particularly important in the life and culture of Western Odisha. It has its best celebration in the Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Balangir, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sonepur, Boudh and Nuapada districts of Odisha.
The festival is seen as a new ray of hope. It has a big significance for farmers and the agricultural community. The festival celebrated at a particular time of the day which is called lagan.
The festival celebrated at a particular time of day which called ‘Lagna’ (propitious moment). A traditional rice cake called Arsaa pithaa is prepared to celebrate this festival. At the lagna time, the new rice is offered to the Goddess Samaleswari.
Rituals of the nine colors of Nuakhai
People in the Western Odisha region initiate preparations for the event 15 days in advance. Nuakhai is understood to have nine colours and as a consequence, nine sets of rituals are followed as a prelude to the actual day of celebration. These nine colours include:
- Beheren (announcement of a meeting to set the date)
- Lagna dekha (setting the exact date for partaking of new rice)
- Daka haka (invitation)
- Sapha sutura and lipa puchha (cleanliness)
- Ghina bika (purchasing)
- Nua dhan khuja (looking for the new crop)
- Bali paka (final resolve for Nuakhai by taking the Prasad (the offering) to the deity)
- Nuakhai (eating the new crop as Prasad after offering it to the deity, followed by dancing and singing)
- Juhar bhet (respect to elders & gift transfers)
Nuakhai Juhar!!!
Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik extended his wishes to everyone on the auspicious occasion of Nuakhai by posting a video of him on his official Twitter handle
ଗଣପର୍ବ ନୂଆଁଖାଇର୍ ଲାଗି ସମକୁ ହୁରୁଦରୁ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଆର୍ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ୍। ତିହାର୍ ଭିତରେବି ସଭେ କୋଭିଡ୍ ନିୟମ୍ ମାନୁନ୍। ମାଁ ସମଲେଇ ସମକୁ ସୁଖ୍ ଶାନ୍ତି ଥି ବନେ କରି ରଖିଥାଉନ୍। #ନୂଆଁଖାଇଜୁହାର 🙏 pic.twitter.com/AsIUhLzBVU
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) September 11, 2021
Similarly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also wished the people of Odisha by writing in Odia on his Twitter handle and wrote “Heartiest wishes to all on this auspicious occasion. On the occasion of Nuankhai, we would like to commend our farming brothers for their outstanding efforts and contribution to nation-building. Wishing everyone good health and better health.”
ନୂଆଁଖାଇ ଜୁହାର୍
ଏହି ପବିତ୍ର ଅବସରରେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଶୁଭକାମନା । ନୂଆଁଖାଇ ଅବସରରେ ଆମେ ଆମ ଚାଷୀ ଭାଇଙ୍କ ଉଲ୍ଲେଖନୀୟ ଉଦ୍ୟମ ଓ ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ର ନିର୍ମାଣରେ ଯୋଗଦାନକୁ ପ୍ରଶଂସା କରିବା ।
ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କର ଉତ୍ତମ ସ୍ୱାସ୍ଥ୍ୟ ଓ ଉତ୍ତୋରତ୍ତର ଉନ୍ନତି କାମନା କରୁଛି ।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 11, 2021
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Ms Kalinga