Nuakhai Festival: Pleasing Gods for Bountiful Crops and Happiness

Nuakhai Festival of Odisha is celebrated for bountiful crops and for amity.

Nuakhai Festival of Odisha was organised at the Thyagraj Stadium in New Delhi recently. The Nuakhai is the main festival, celebrated by the farmers of western Odisha. Significantly, in West Odisha this festival is celebrated not only by the farmers but also by others with great enthusiasm.

Nuakhai Festival is celebrated for bountiful paddy crop. On this occasion, people remember their ancestors and get the blessings of the elders.

The festival is celebrated largely in the districts of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bodh, Sonpur and Nuapada in Odisha.

At the festival, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas and Skills Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Tribal Affairs Minister Juam Oral besides MP Prabhas Kumar Singh were present as chief guests.

Central Minister Pradhan wished all the people of Odisha the very best wishes for Nukakhi festival. He said that there are many beliefs associated with this festival. The Naukhai festival is completed with nine colours of rituals. It is a ritual in which all people treat their family and other nearby people with a feast for the new rice. Goddesses are worshiped and people bury their past bitterness.

Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram thanks Juhar family for conducting the festival on a large scale in Delhi.

On the occasion, a colourful cultural program was presented by the Natraj kala Parishad, in which Nawaghana Das gave a floor rocking performance. Fashion show was organized by Sujit Mehr.

Filmmaker of Odisha Jitendra Mishra, singer Reshma Rani Das, dancer Shasvat Joshi and Padmini Panigrahi performed at the cultural festival reflecting the rich heritage of Odisha.