Prez PM Odisha Guv CM greet people on 'Nuakhai' festival

    Bhubaneswar/ Sambalpur, Aug 28 (PTI) President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Thursday greeted the people on the occasion of 'Nuakhai', an agrarian festival mostly celebrated in the western parts of the state.
    The 'Nuakhai', which means 'new feed', is basically an agrarian festival where the first crop of the year is offered to the goddess in the western districts of Odisha, and younger people seek the blessings of elders. This festival is mostly celebrated in the western parts of the state.
    Murmu, who hails from Odisha, extended her heartfelt greetings of Nuakhai to all Indians, especially the people of Odisha.
    The President in a post on X said: "On the occasion of the agriculture-based Nuakhai festival, heartfelt congratulations to all countrymen from my side, especially to the people of Odisha. This festival is a sacred opportunity to express respect for agriculture and gratitude towards farmers. It is a symbol of goodwill and intimacy. My best wishes are that Nuakhai fills everyone's life with happiness, peace, and prosperity."
    Modi said Odisha's Nuakhai festival reminds people of their deep gratitude to farmers for their hard work.
    In a post on X, Modi said, "Wishing everyone a joyous Nuakhai. This cherished festival is a reminder of our deep gratitude to the farmers whose hard work sustains us all. May there be good health, prosperity and happiness in every home. Nuakhai Juhar!"
    The governor said, "My heartfelt greetings and best wishes to the people of the state on the occasion of the mass festival #Nuakhai of Western Odisha. May everyone's life be filled with happiness and prosperity by the blessings of Mother Samlei."
    Majhi also expressed his greetings to the people of the state and said: "Our culture, prosperity and symbol of unity, Nuakhai, I congratulate and salute you….May this Nuakhai, which has come carrying new hopes, fill your life with happiness, peace and prosperity, this is what I am praying for in the cave of my heart. #Nuakhai."
    Replying to PM's Nuakhai message, Majhi in a social media post said: "Honourable and illustrious Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, on behalf of the people of Odisha, heartfelt Nuakhai greetings. This message of your good wishes is a reflection of your deep respect and honour towards the farmer brothers of Odisha. Our hardworking farmers are indeed our Annadatas and the backbone of the nation. I express my gratitude for your continuous efforts towards the welfare and development of all Annadatas of Odisha as well as the country."
    Patnaik expressed his heartfelt greetings to the people. In a video message, he said: "On the eve of the auspicious Nuakhai festival, I extend greetings to the people of Odisha with 'Nuakhai Juhar'."
    Majhi, in a video message, said: "The practice of offering 'Nuakhai Juhar' (respect) to elders, receiving blessings, and celebrating with dance, music, pitha (cake), and pana (betel) carries forward a unique legacy of togetherness. On this day, I urge students, youth, workers, farmers, and soldiers to dedicate themselves to their responsibilities and contribute to building a developed Odisha by 2036 and a developed India by 2047."
    Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is an MP from Sambalpur, came down to his constituency and celebrated Nuakhai with people. Along with his wife, Pradhan ate 'nabanna' (new food) with the family members of Shamsunder Pati at Sindurpanka village. "Nuakhai is not just a festival but an emotion. Coming together and eating navanna together is the speciality of Nuakhai festival," he said.
    The festival was dedicated to Goddess Samaleswari in Sambalpur, Pataneswari in Balangir and Patnagarh, Sureswari in Subarnapur, Manekeswari in Kalahandi and Sekharabasini in Sundargarh. Being an agrarian festival, the eldest in the family each household in the area worshipped their paddy fields and offered milk and flowers. There are about 400 Maa Samaleswari temples in the state.
    Earlier, the Nuakhai festival was observed on different time and day as per separate temple timings. However, since 1991, the people of the state have been celebrating the festival on the same day.
    'Nuakhai', a mass festival of the state, is celebrated with people wearing new clothes, worshipping the presiding deity and having a sumptuous lunch with the entire family. Local folk music and songs are an integral part of Nuakhai, which is a mass festival across the state, particularly in 10 western Odisha districts.
    Exchanging 'Nuakhai Juhar', a traditional greeting form, among friends, relatives and well-wishers, is a major part of the festival apart from rituals associated with temples. On the occasion, the farmers of western Odisha offer their first crop of the year to their presiding deities, and the heads of the family offer rice and other food items to their presiding deities.
    The entire western region of the state, comprising about 10 districts, joins the festival and people living outside their villages return to their houses on this day to seek the blessings of elders.
    The Nuakhai festival is observed to express gratitude to the Goddesses for providing food grain for survival of humanity, said Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)