Devotees celebrate Nuakhai festival in front of Samleswari Temple at Sector-VI in Rourkela on Saturday. Picture by Uttam Kumar Pal

Sambalpur/Balangir, Aug. 30: People of west Odisha today celebrated the agrarian festival, Nuakhai, with much enthusiasm.

Thousands of devotees thronged the temple of Maa Samaleswari, the presiding deity in Sambalpur, to pray on the occasion. The first harvested crop was offered to the goddess at the stipulated lagna (auspicious period) between 10.58am and 11.13am.

“The first rice was offered to Maa Samalai, according to the time fixed by the pandit. Goddess Samaleswari was draped in a new sari and was adorned with ornaments,” said priest of Samaleswari temple Ambika Prashad Ray.

People also observed Nuakhai at their respective homes.

The head of the family worships the household deity and offers rice and other food items. Later, he distributes the prasad among the family members. All family members sit and have their food together on this occasion. Even those, who work elsewhere, come back home during Nuakhai to celebrate the festival with their families.

The Nuakhai Juhar is a major ritual of the festival. It is an exchange of greetings with friend relative and well-wishers.

The elders are wished Nuakhai Juhar and they give blessings for a long life, happiness and prosperity.

Earlier, Nuakhai used to be observed on different days in various places. But since 1992, the festival has been observed on the same day throughout the state.In the evening, Nuakhai Bhetghat was organised at several places in Sambalpur by various socio-cultural organisations.

“Nuakhai binds the communities together in a spirit of solidarity. Such has been the popularity of the festival that people of this region residing in Bangalore Delhi, Mumbai and Vishakhapatnam have also been celebrating the festival for the past one decade,” said Sambalpur resident Bikash Sahu.

In Balangir and Sonepur districts, too, people consumed the new paddy crop after offering the same to Goddess Samaleswari. People in some parts of Kalahandi district, including Bhawanipatna, however did not observe Nuakhai today as they consider the 10th day (dasami) as the auspicious day for Goddess Manikeswari and will observe Nuakhai on September 4.