Bhubaneswar, Sep 8: Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP, Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday greeted people on the occasion of ‘Nuakhai’, a harvest festival celebrated in parts of the country, especially western Odisha.

“Greetings on the occasion of agricultural festival- ‘Nuakhai’. The festival of 'Nuakhai’ is a shining symbol of our cultural, spiritual and social lifestyle. This festival gives a great message to everyone to live together. On this great occasion of today, I bow to Maa Samaleswari for happiness and prosperity of one and all,” Pradhan said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Notably, the Union Minister is in Sambalpur and is scheduled to attend ‘Nuakhai Bhetghat’ programmes, besides offering prayer at Maa Samaleswari temple in the western Odisha city.

Nuakhai is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of Western Odisha and Southern Chhattisgarh. It is observed to welcome the new rice of the season. It is observed on panchami tithi (the fifth day) of the lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadraba (August–September), the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

As per the customary practice, people offer new grains of crops to the deities before their own consumption. After completing all the rituals, people prepare delicious food and celebrate this festival with great pomp and show.

On the day, each and every member of the family wear new dress and they greet each other, show affection and take blessings from the elderly members of the family. This ritual is popularly known as “Nuakhai Juhar”.

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