Bhubaneswar, Sept 8 [UDN}:The auspicious time for the celebration of Nuakhai, one of the most important and widely celebrated agrarian festivals of western Odisha, has been officially determined. This year, the sacred Nuakhai Lagna has been fixed for September 15. During the auspicious period between 9:40 AM and 9:54 AM, the newly harvested rice, known as Nabanna, will first be ceremonially offered to Maa Samaleswari, the presiding deity of Sambalpur and a revered symbol of faith and devotion for the people of western Odisha.
As per the traditional customs and religious rituals associated with Nuakhai, the first grains of the new harvest are offered to the Goddess before being consumed by the people. The sacred offering of Nabanna to Maa Samaleswari marks the beginning of the festival’s main religious observances. After the offering is made during the designated auspicious time, families across the region traditionally worship their household deities and prepare to partake in the newly harvested food.
Nuakhai is not merely a harvest festival; it is a celebration of agriculture, gratitude, family unity, cultural heritage, and the deep spiritual connection between people, nature, and the divine. The announcement of the Nuakhai Lagna is therefore eagerly awaited every year, as it determines the precise time when devotees and families begin the most important rituals of the festival.
According to the announced schedule, on September 15, between 9:40 AM and 9:54 AM, Nabanna will be offered at the sacred shrine of Maa Samaleswari, following which devotees and families will observe the traditional Nuakhai rituals with devotion, joy, and cultural enthusiasm.
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