Nuakhai Juhar is a significant agricultural festival celebrated mainly by the people of Western Odisha and Southern Chhattisgarh. It marks the time when the freshly grown Kharif crop, or autumn crop of rice, begins to ripen. This joyous occasion falls on the Panchami tithi, the fifth day of the lunar fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada or Bhadraba (typically August–September), right after Ganesh Chaturthi. For the folks in Western Odisha and neighboring areas like Simdega in Jharkhand, where Odia culture holds sway, Nuakhai is the most important social festival.
Key Points
- Nuakhai Juhar, also known as Nuakhai Parab or Nuakahi Bhetghat, is a cool agricultural festival. People celebrate it to welcome the new crop of the season.
- The name “Nuakhai” comes from two words – ‘nua,’ meaning new, and ‘khai,’ meaning eat. So, it’s all about enjoying the freshly harvested rice.
- This festival is a big deal in Western Odisha, southern Chhattisgarh, and parts of Simdega in Jharkhand. If you head to the coast, there’s a similar celebration called Nabanna in Coastal Odisha.
- Nuakhai is celebrated on the fifth day of the lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada, which falls in August or September. Interestingly, it’s the day after Ganesh Chaturthi.
- There’s a fixed time called “Lagan” to kick off the festivities. It adds a bit of structure to the celebration.
- Farmers get in on the action by offering the first fruits of their labor to Goddess Samaleswari. She’s the famous ‘Mother Goddess‘ in Sambalpur district, Odisha. It’s like a thanksgiving to the land.
- The celebration is not complete without some vibrant cultural performances. You get to witness traditional Sambalpuri dance forms like Rasarkeli and Dalkhai. It’s a feast for the eyes!
Historical Background
- People believe Nuakhai festival originated from the tribal communities of western Odisha.
- The festival’s preparations blend elements from both tribal customs and Hindu rituals.
- The roots of Nuakhai trace back to the Vedic period, specifically to Panchyajna.
- Pralambana yajna, a Vedic ritual, involved cutting new crops and offering them to the mother goddess.
- The oral tradition of Nuakhai dates back to the 12th century A.D.
- Chauvan Raja Ramai Deo from Bolangir district in Odisha celebrated this festival.
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