Event Tourism in Odisha-- Nuakhai
Nuakhai Date-- 14 September , 2018.
Nuakhai is an agricultural festival in Odisha. It is observed on the day after Ganesha Chaturthi.
Nuakhai is an agricultural festival and is also known as Nuakhai Parab or Nuakhai Bhetghat, Nuakhai literally translates to " Nua" meaning new and "Khai" meaning food i.e newly harvested "Rice".
Nuakhai is celebrated in the western region of Odisha and it is the most important Harvest Festival of Odisha. Nuakhai is celbrated at the time -called- "Lagna" , people pray and have Nua or new food during this lagna.
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| Nuakhai or New food offering to deity |
History
The origin of Nuakhai can be traced back to Vedic Times when vedic people used to celebrate "Panchayajna" or 5 most important Yagya/festival/offering.But more recent evidence of Nuakhai dates from 12th century AD when rRaja Ramai Deo first celebrated it . It was Raja Ramai Deo who made Nuakhai the face of Sambalpuri culture.
Nuakhai gains more importance as is celebrated on the day after Ganesha Chaturthi because God Ganesha is the god prayed by people before starting any "New Activity".
Celebration
Every yeat priests in Brahmapura Jagannath Temple in Sambalpur calculate the day and time for observance of Nuakhai festival. The auspicious moment of celebration is called "Lagna".
Nuakhai is also called the festival of nine colours because before celebration Nine sets of rituals are performed before the festival.
The set of rituals are as follows--
1-Behren:- In which elders and priests gather to decide the date and time for Nuakhai.
2-Lagna Dekha:-When priest checks the calendar and astrological details and decides the tithi and lagna for Nuakhai i.e time when "Nua" is to be taken.
3-Daka Haka:- Invitation is sent to the people to join on the day of nuakhai.
4-Sapha Suthra and Lipa Pocha:- House and old cloths are cleaned.
5-Ghina Bika:- Purchase of new or essential items for Nuakhai.
6-Nua Dhan Khuja:- Looking for new crops.
7-Baki Paka:-Deity is worshiped and "prasad" is taken by the people showing their final resolve for "Nuakhai".
8-Nuakhai:-The day of the festival when people offer new crops to the deity and then distribute the food made from those crops to the people as prasad. This is followed by singing and dancing. The dance performed is called "Sambalpuri Dance".
9-Juhar Bhet:-Finally respect is paid to the elders and by the end of the day the festival comes to an end.
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| Sambalpuri Dance. |
The tourists will surely enjoy Nuakhai and its traditions.The villagers are very welcoming and hospitable and usually they invite others to be a part of the festival.To have a taste of the a tribal festival I would recommend my readers to be a part of this festival.Tourism in these regions will help the poor tribal and villagers who have a limited source of income.So take a trip to Odisha and be a part of the Cultural Heritage.
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