Nuakhai

Nuakhai
Official name	Odia: ନୂଆଖାଇ
Also called	Festival of Harvest
Observed by	Odias
Type	Regional Festival/Indian festival
Significance	Harvest festival
Begins	Panchami tithi (fifth day) of lunar fortnight of Bhadrabaa
Date	August–September
2016 date	September 6
Frequency	annual

Nuakhai or Nuankhai (Odia Language: ନୂଆଖାଇ or ନୂଆଁଖାଇ and ନବାନ୍ନ) is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of Western Odisha in India. Nuakhai is observed to welcome the new rice of the season. According to the calendar it is observed on panchami tithi (the fifth day) of the lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada or Bhaadra (August–September), the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. This is the most important social festival of Western Odisha and adjoing areas of Simdega in Jharkhand.

Template:Paschim odisha's Nuakhai is also called Nuakhai Parab or Nuakahi Bhetghat. The word nua means new and khai means food, so the name means the farmers are in possession of the newly harvested rice. The festival is seen as a new ray of hope, held the day after the Ganesha Chaturthi festival. It has a big significance for farmers and the agricultural community. The festival celebrated at a particular time of day which is called lagan. Arsaa pithaa is prepared to celebrate this festival. When the lagan comes, the people first remember their village god or goddess and then have their nua.

Nuakhai is the agricultural festival of people of Western odisha. The festival is observed throughout Odisha, but it is particularly important in the life and culture of Western Odisha. It is a festival for the worship of food grain. It has its best celebration in the Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Balangir, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sonepur, Boudh and Nuapada districts of Odisha .

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