Nuakhai brought festive energy to western Odisha as families welcomed the season’s first harvest with prayers, traditional food and community gatherings. Celebrations were held across Sambalpur, Balangir, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Kalahandi and Deogarh, where people dressed in new clothes and prepared regional delicacies.

The festival begins with the offering of Nabanna, or newly harvested grain, to the presiding deity. In Sambalpur and nearby areas, devotees offer the first produce to Maa Samaleswari before consuming the new rice. The ritual expresses gratitude to the land, farmers and divine forces believed to support cultivation. After the offering, families sit together and share a meal prepared from the fresh harvest.

Nuakhai is also a celebration of family unity and respect between generations. Younger members touch the feet of elders and seek their blessings for happiness, prosperity and success. Relatives, neighbours and friends then meet one another during Nuakhai Bhetghat, an important social tradition connected with the festival.

For people living outside western Odisha, the occasion becomes an emotional link to their ancestral villages. Many return home to celebrate with their families, while migrant communities organise gatherings in other Indian cities and abroad. Traditional music, bells, gongs and Sambalpuri dance performances add colour and energy to the festivities.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi extended Nuakhai greetings and described the festival as an expression of Odisha’s culture, lifestyle and social unity. He urged people to set aside their differences, respect elders and work together for the state’s development.

Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari highlighted Nuakhai’s close relationship with agriculture and described it as a festival of farmers. Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda also conveyed his wishes and prayed to Maa Samaleswari for the peace, happiness and prosperity of the people.

Beyond its religious rituals, Nuakhai remains a powerful symbol of western Odisha’s cultural identity. It honours agricultural labour, celebrates the relationship between people and the soil and encourages communities to share the fruits of the harvest.

Although the festival has adapted to changing lifestyles, its central values remain unchanged. Gratitude, family affection, respect for elders and social harmony continue to define Nuakhai, making it much more than a harvest celebration.