Western Odisha has come alive with intense religious fervour and agricultural gratitude as the region’s premier festival, Nuakhai, is being celebrated with immense enthusiasm.
The grand ritual of offering Nabanna—the season’s newly harvested rice crop—to the region’s presiding deity, Goddess Samaleswari, was successfully completed during the predetermined auspicious time window (Shubha Lagna) between 9:40 AM and 9:54 AM.
Following the sacred offering at the famous Samaleswari shrine in Sambalpur, families across the region began preparing to partake in the fresh harvest meal within their households, adhering to long-standing cultural traditions.
Extensive preparations had been set in place across Sambalpur and neighbouring districts to ensure smooth proceedings for the agrarian celebration. Early in the morning, thousands of devotees congregated at the Maa Samaleswari temple complex to catch a glimpse of the deity adorned in festive attire and seek blessings for a fruitful agricultural cycle ahead.
With the primary deity receiving the first fruits of the land, the atmosphere across Western Odisha transitions into traditional family gatherings, elders’ blessings (Nuakhai Juhar), and community celebrations.
