Kalahandi district in Odisha celebrated the harvest festival of Nuakhai on Tuesday, beginning with the ceremonial offering of newly harvested rice, or Nabanna, to Goddess Maa Manikeswari.
Observed annually on the Panchami Tithi of Bhadrava month, Nuakhai is a time-honoured festival symbolising gratitude for the season’s first crop.
The auspicious window for the offering was set between 8:45 a.m. and 9:05 a.m. Devotees received Nua Chuda (flattened rice) prepared from the fresh harvest as prasada, after which families shared their first meal from the new crop between 10:55 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Unlike other parts of western Odisha, Kalahandi follows its own tradition, observing Nuakhai at varying dates between Bhadrapada Shukla Pratipada and Dashahara Dashami Tithi. The day also featured community feasts, cultural celebrations, and the cherished ritual of Nuakhai Juhar, where younger members pay respect to elders and receive blessings in return.
Nuakhai is more than a harvest festival; it is a celebration of nature, agriculture, family, and community, reinforcing Odisha’s cultural heritage across generations.
