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PM Extends Greetings on Nuakhai, Harvest Festival of Western Odisha
The Prime Minister of India has extended greetings on the occasion of Nuakhai. Nuakhai is in the news as an important social and agricultural harvest festival of Western Odisha.
Nuakhai Festival:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Term meaning | The word Nuakhai comprises “nua” meaning new, and “khai” meaning food. |
| Festival type | Nuakhai comprises an agricultural festival welcoming the new rice of the season. |
| Observance date | Nuakhai is governed by the fifth day of the lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada or Bhaadra (August-September). |
| Ritual framework | Nuakhai rituals comprise nine colours and, as a consequence, 9 sets of rituals followed as a prelude to the actual day of celebration. |
| Offerings | Rituals comprise offering the newly harvested crop, called Nabanha, to respective presiding deities. |
| Post-offering food | Practices comprise relishing different types of delicacies prepared from the newly harvested crop after offering the Nabanha. |
| Major ritual | Nuakhai rituals comprise the Nuakhai Juhar as a major ritual of the festival. |