There was a time when Nuakhai was popular only in western Odisha, southern Chattisgarh, and Jharkhand. But today Nuakhai festival celebrates in more than 5 states of India.
Nukhai Festival 2022
Nuakhai, which is a combination of the words Nua and Khai, which means New and Rice respectively. Collectively Nuakhai means new Rice.
People contribute their Newly harvested holy offering of Rice to their Totem and pray for the wellness of their upcoming crops and family wealth.
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Tradition of Nuakhai
Nuakhai is an agriculture-based Harvesting festival that celebrates in Western Odisha.
In this festival, traditionally rural people of Western Odisha participate and show their respect towards their forefathers and ask for their blessings. On this day, people have fast for a day and wear new dresses.
It is popular that rural people make their food in brand new pots.
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Auspicious period of Nuakhai 2022
Nuakhai festival starts from the next day of Ganesh Chaturthi.
The committee of experienced people and priests decides the date of the Nuakhai festival according to the Hindu calendar, which is Panchmi. At the end of August or the first two weeks of September, the actual date of the Nuakhai festival Lagn.
Nuakhai festival 2022 date
In 2020 the Nuakhai festival was celebrated at 23rd August and Ganesh Chaturthi was on 22nd August, just one day before Nuakhai.
In 2021 as the Ganesh Chaturthi festival was on 10th September, the Nuakhai festival was celebrated on 11th September 2021.
In 2022, Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrate on 31 August. So a day after Ganesh Chaturthi, Nuakhai festival will be celebrate on 1st September 2022.
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Last year(2021) people didn't celebrate the Nuakhai festival properly because of the pandemic but this upcoming festival may celebrate with better joy and potential in comparison to last year.
9 Events of Nuakhai festival
Nuakhai festival events are the steps of complete celebration.
There are a total of 9 following events in the Nuakhai festival-
1. Behren
In this first event, experienced and matronly people gather for a meeting to fix the event celebration.
2. Lagn Dekha
Lagn Dekha is the second event of Nuakhai. In this event, the committee or meeting fixes the date and auspicious period for celebration.
3. Duka-Haka
The third event is full of enthusiasm. People call their relatives from other cities and states. They send their invitation to come back to the village to celebrate the Nuakhai festival.
4. Lipa-Pucha
The Cleanliness and decoration of the home are traditional. In Lipa-Pucha events, people reclean their homes and use natural cow dung to maintain a layer on floors. It gives freshness and a very natural smell.
5. China-Bika
All the buying and selling works do during this event and then people prepare for the next event which is Nua-Dhakuja.
6. Nua-Dhakhuja
Finally, people harvest and collect their Rice crops from the fields. They don't use them until the holy offering/prasad.
But they can clean them and separate them from their straws.
7. Prasad
After collecting and cleaning all the Rice from the fields, the time comes to show respect and holy offer of rice to their Totem/God/Goddess and pray for the wealth of their families and upcoming crop harvesting.
They offer their portion of Rice and then they take it as prasad.
People make prasad from Rice, Coconut, and lental, they serve these on green leaves.
8. Nuakhai
Finally, the second last event of the Nuakhai festival comes. In this event, people have prasad and dance on their traditional Nuakhai songs.
9. Juhar-Bhet
The last event of the Nuakhai festival is Juhar-Bhet.
In this event, young people get blessings from elder ones valuable gifts from them.
Thus Nuakhai festival ends with the final event Juhar-Bhet of Nuakhai.
Districts that celebrate Nuakhai
Following are some districts, that are most popular for the celebration and adoption of the Nuakhai festival-
Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Boudh, Balangir, Sonepur, Bargarh, Jhasuguda, and Sundargarh.