History & Art and Culture Prelims Plus
It is celebrated a day after Ganesh Chaturthi.
Nuakhai is the agricultural festival of people of Western Odisha and some parts of Chattisgarh and Jharkhand. It is a festival for the worship of food grain.
The festival is observed throughout Odisha, but it is particularly important in the life and culture of Western Odisha.
Nuakhai is one of the unique social festivals which gets its name from the word 'nua' meaning 'new' and 'khai' meaning 'food'.
The new harvest crops are worshipped and people celebrate it by eating the first rice of the harvest together with their family.
Nuakhai Juhar is sharing gifts with your dear ones, wishing them on the occasion, and coming together as a family symbolizes unity