ନୂଆ ଧାନ୍ କେ ନୂଆ ମନ୍
ବନେ ବନେ ଥାଉନ୍ ଆପଣ୍
ନୂଆଖାଇର୍ ବଡ଼ଖା ତିହାର୍ ।
Nuakhai, or Nuakhai Parab, is more than just a festival in western Odisha; it is a sacred ritual that breathes life into the region’s agricultural heritage. The festival heralds the harvest of Kharif crops, where the first grains are reverently offered to deities, marking the new beginnings for farmers.
Origin of Nuakhai
Nuakhai’s origins weave through ancient rituals and the deep connection between people and nature. In Vedic times, agrarian societies observed the Panchayajna, five sacred offerings tied to farming cycles. These include:
- Sita Yajna – The tilling of the land.
- Pravapana Yajna – The sowing of seeds.
- Pralambana Yajna – The first cutting of crops.
- Khala Yajna – The harvesting of grains.
- Prayayana Yajna – The preservation of seeds for future seasons.
However, it was the Pralambana Yajna—the first cutting of crops—that gave rise to Nuakhai.
Legend also states that during the reign of Raja Ramai Deo, the first Chauhan king of Patnagarh (1355–1380 AD), Nuakhai took on a broader significance. Ramai Deo, a visionary ruler, saw the need to unite his people through shared traditions, especially in times of harvest. He institutionalized Nuakhai as a state festival, embedding it in the cultural life of western Odisha.
Nine Rituals of Nuakhai
Nuakhai is observed on Panchami Tithi, following Ganesh Chaturthi, in either August or September. While the precise historical origins of Nuakhai are often debated, its celebration is referenced in records from the princely state of Balangir. Initially a farmer’s festival, it has since been embraced by all members of society.
Nuakhai consists of a series of nine rituals, known as the “nine colours of Nuakhai”:
- Beheren – The official announcement of the festival.
- Lagna Dekha – Setting the auspicious date and time.
- Daka Haka – Extending invitations to the community.
- Sapha Sutura and Lipa Puchha – Cleaning and decorating homes with red clay.
- Ghina Bika – The buying and selling of goods.
- Nua Dhan Khuja – Searching for newly harvested grains.
- Bali Paka – Offering the new crop to the deities.
- Nuakhai – Eating the new rice, following the sacred puja.
- Juhar Bhet – Offering respect to elders, is a central aspect of the festival.
The muhurt or auspicious moment is central to the day’s rituals. The new rice, or “nua,” is prepared by mixing fresh grains with milk, coconut, sesame, and honey. The nua is then placed in Kurei leaf danas (handmade leaf bowls) and offered to the family’s deity (Ishta Dev). In each household, women lead the puja, offering prayers to their Ishta-Devata.
Afterwards, family members consume the nua, carefully using all five fingers as a sign of reverence, symbolizing a life of abundance.
Farmers also perform puja in the fields, tying sacred threads around rice plants and offering milk to the land. Even the cattle, who play a significant role in the farming process, are worshipped by tying rakhis to their horns and feeding them jaggery as an offering.
Festivities of Nuakhai
After the religious rituals, families come together to share the Nuakhai feast, which includes traditional sweet dishes like Bubra, Kakra, Arisha, Feni, Mandapitha, and Khiri. The savoury part of the meal includes staples like Bhaja (fried vegetables), Ambila (a Western Odisha version of Kadhi), Kakharu patra bhaja (fried pumpkin leaves), and Baghara anna (tempered rice). Each dish speaks to the rich agricultural heritage of the region. This part of Nuakhai is something I always looked forward to as a kid.
This meal is an essential part of the festival, and the sense of unity and togetherness it brings is one of Nuakhai’s most cherished aspects. Younger family members offer Nuakhai Juhar by bowing to their elders and seeking blessings, often receiving gifts and tokens of appreciation in return.
The evening is reserved for community gatherings, known as Nuakhai Bhetghat, where the entire village or neighbourhood comes together to celebrate. Traditional Sambalpuri dances like Ghumra and Rasarkeli are performed, filling the air with festive energy. Villagers also engage in Bhagabat Charcha (spiritual discussions) and Kabi Sanmelani (poetry recitals), deepening the communal spirit.
The most significant offering happens at the Sekharbasini temple in Patnagarh, where the royal family leads this sacred ritual. On this day, the temple opens especially for Nuakhai, allowing devotees to witness this honored tradition.
While reading more about Nuakhai, I came across another ritual associated with Nuakhai that fosters a strong bond between friends and neighbours in this fulfilled festival. This age-old tradition still practised in certain villages is the Nuakhai Khanja, where families send rice, dal, and vegetables to their friends, who in return send back pitha and panna. This exchange strengthens familial and social bonds, paying homage to the food that sustains life.
Nuakhai is more than just a harvest festival; it’s a powerful expression of gratitude, unity, and renewal, passed down through generations. This festival holds a special place in the hearts of Western Odias. It’s not just a celebration of the harvest—it’s a homecoming. As children, Nuakhai meant gathering at the family house, the laughter of cousins filling the air, and the scent of sweet dishes like arisha and bubra wafting through the kitchen. The excitement of new clothes, the bakshis, and the joy of offering Juhar to elders brought warmth and comfort.
Now, as adults, the festival has become something deeper—a connection to our roots. Even those living far from Odisha feel the pull of home during Nuakhai. The journey back to the ancestral house becomes a reunion not just with family but with culture, traditions, and the land itself. There’s something deeply comforting about following the same rituals that generations before us did—Beheren, the announcement that brings everyone together, the Muhurt for offering the new rice, and the heartfelt Juhar Bhet, paying respect to those who came before us.
For many of us, this is more than just a festival—it’s a celebration of identity, a way to reconnect with where we came from. Even as life takes us further from the fields where our ancestors once harvested crops, Nuakhai brings us back to those roots, if only for a few days.
Nuakhai Juhar!
