Nuakhai
SAMBALPUR RA "NUAKHAI PARAB"
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"Nuakhai" an agricultural festival mostly celebrated western Odisha. "NUA" means new and "KHAI" means food. it indicates that farmers are in position of newly harvested rice. according to Hindu calendar, it observed on Panchami tithi of Bhadrapada, the day after Ganesh Chaturthi. The significance of this festival lies more in its socio-cultural content rather than its religious or ritualistic aspect.
Every year the Tithi (day) and Samaya (time) determined by the priest and on the auspicious moment the high priest offers Nabhanna or new paddy as Bhoga Lagna to presiding deity of Sambalpur, Maa Samleswari (Goddesses Samleswari).
People of western Odisha sets in motion 15 days before the festival begins. A nine sets of rituals followed by the people as a prelude to actual day celebration. The nine rituals include:
1. Beheren (Announcement for meeting to set a date)
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2 Lagna Dekha (Setting the exact date for partaking of new rice)
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4.Sapha Sutura and Lipa Puchha (Cleanliness)
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| (Image Souce:Google) |