Nuakhai: Mass Agrarian Festival Gets Dampened Due To COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak has put a damper on the festive spirit of mass agrarian festival Nuakhai, which is being celebrated today. This year, there would be no Nuakhai Bhetghat (get-together), an integral part of the annual festival.

People of western Odisha worship their presiding deity on Nuakhai as a mark of gratitude for a bumper crop, good rain and favourable farming weather. As per the custom, each farmer offers the first grain of the harvest to the presiding deity and then partakes it. All family members sit and take their food together on the occasion.

Nuakhai is the D-day for homecoming, family reunion, rejoicing and offering heartfelt gratitude for divine benediction in every nook and corner of Western Odisha. However, such scenes will not be witnessed this year due to the pandemic.

Although it is difficult to get at the roots of Nuakhai, legend has it that ages ago it was initiated by the farmers to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the Almighty for bestowing them with a bounty of a bumper harvest of the paddy, colloquially called Gudadhan.

Gudadhan (highland variety paddy) is ready for reaping by this period if monsoon rains favour the farmers. The custom is to offer the first rice from the harvest to the gods before being savoured.

Thus, Nuakhai nurtures among the observers a deep and solemn appreciation for the grand grain of rice – a symbolic manifestation of life.

Down the ages, the farmers of a particular village began to celebrate the festival on a particular day scheduled by the village headman.

Later under the patronage of the respective royal households, the then simple festival transformed into a grand socio-religious event.

Folklore says that the presiding deity Maa Samaleswari appeared in the dream of the royal scion and commanded him to abide by the ritual.

Hence, a new rice grain accompanied by khiri, pitha and kakra (sundry sweetmeats) are offered to Her as per the lagnabela (propitious moment) of the day followed by prasadsevan (having the remnant of divine offerings) together with the family members, but in turn of senior to junior.

Family discipline, joint family principle and obedience to the family patriarch reign supreme. Dining together draped in new attires is followed by Nuakhai Juhar both at home and vicinity. Juniors seek the blessings of their senior and the family patriarch in order to lead a happy and prosperous life.