Nuakhai celebrations on Sept 20, 'Nabanna Lagna' finalised in Sambalpur

The ‘Nabanna Lagna’ (Auspicious Time) for Western Odisha’s agrarian festival, Nuakhai was finalised on Thursday.

Following the meeting of the Brahmapura Temple Pandit Mahasabha in Sambalpur, the Lagna for Nuakhai-2023 is finalised for September 20, between 10:27am and 10:42am. As per the tradition, Nuakhai is celebrated on the ‘Panchami tithi’ of the Odia month of Bhadraba.

The nabanna will be offered to Maa Samaleswari during this time.

The agrarian festival of the region has a charm of its own as all the members of the family, irrespective of where they are, congregate on the day and celebrate the festival together. Youngsters in the family also seek the blessings of the elders setting aside all the differences.

On Nuakhai, people offer the 'Nabanna' to the deity amidst 'Hulahuli', the beating of drums, cymbals, and sounds of conch shells.

After having 'Nabanna' bhog, people seek blessings from elders in the family and locality and the practice is called 'Nuakhai Juhar' in local parlance. People also exchange greetings which is called 'Nuakhai Bhetghat'.