President Murmu, Odisha CM greet people on Nuakhai

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday greeted citizens on the festival of Nuakhai and wished for the prosperity of the country and its people.

“My hearty greetings to all the countrymen, especially the people of Odisha, on the auspicious festival of Nuakhai related to agriculture! On this holy festival, people celebrate the harvest of paddy. This festival gives us the message of brotherhood and mutual harmony. On this auspicious occasion, I pray to God for the prosperity of the country and its people,” Murmu, who hails from Odisha, said in a post in Odia on ‘X’.

“My greetings and best wishes to all on the occasion of the agricultural fair. May your life be filled with happiness and prosperity with the blessings of Maa Samleswari,” Odisha Chief Minister Patnaik said in a post in Odia on ‘X’.

Nuakhai is an agrarian festival where the first crop of the field is offered to the goddess in the western districts of Odisha and people seek the blessings of elders in each household.

The festival is observed mostly in Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Deogarh and Sundargarh.

People worship their presiding deities as a mark of gratitude for bumper crops, good rain and favourable weather for farming.

The first harvested crop was offered to goddess Samaleswari at the stipulated Lagna (auspicious moment: fifth day of Bhadrab sukla pakhya, bright fortnight ) between 10.27am and 10.42am. The priests of the temple commenced the ceremony in the morning as per the prevailing tradition and ritual. Goddess Samaleswari was adorned with new a new saree and ornaments.

Thousand of devotees thronged the temple of the presiding deity of the region to seek blessings on the occasion of Nuakhai. The devotees were allowed to visit the Samaleswari temple from 12.30pm to 5.30pm, said president of Samaleswari Temple Trust Board Sanjaya Babu.

People also observed Nuakhai in their respective homes. Farmers offered the first crop of the year to the household deity on this occasion. The head of the family worships the household deity and offer rice and other food items.

The head of the family then distributes the prasad among the family members. Even people, who work outside, also come back home during Nuakhai to celebrate the festival with family.

Various traditional dishes including Mug Bara, Ras Bara, Mug Mada, Suji Mada, Chaul Mada, Kakra Pitha, Kheeri are prepared during the occasion.

Apart from the rituals of offering the crop to the deity, ‘Nuakhai Juhar’ is a major ritual of the festival.  The elders are wished ‘Nuakhai Juhar’ and they give blessings for long life, happiness and prosperity. However, Nuakhai Bhet (the social get-together to greet each other)  is organised in grand way at many  places.

“Nuakhai in Western Odisha is not a festival of any particular group, caste or creed. It is a festival celebrated by all people of the region. The festival promotes harmony, help co-operation and equality. Earlier, Nuakhai was observed in different days in different places. But since 1992, people have been celebrating the festival on the same day,” said city-based writer Deepak Panda

PTI