Nuakhai: Know the significance of the Odiya harvest festival

Pic Courtesy: Pixabay, Image used for representation purpose only

New Delhi: The 'Festival of Harvest' is more famously known as Nuakhai in Odisha where people celebrate it full gusto and spirit. 

The name 'Nuakhai' is a combination of two words, 'Nua' meaning new and 'khai' which means food. When put together, Nuakhai stands for new rice, further suggesting that the farmers in possession of newly harvested rice. 

People worship food grain on this auspicious day which is looked upon as a new ray of hope. Also, farmers offer the first produce from their lands to goddess Samaleswari, to whom the festival is dedicated. Following the Hindu calendar, the day falls on the  Panchami Tithi of the lunar fortnight in Bhadrapada (August–September) months, the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. 

On this special festival, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to extend his good wishes to the people of Odisha. 

Here is his Twitter post:

Nuakhai Juhar! Good wishes to Odia friends on the festival of Nuakhai. May this festival bring happiness and prosperity in everyone’s lives.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 26, 2017

Even though the entire state celebrates this festival, it is most important for people hailing from Western Odisha.