‘Lagna’ For Nuakhai Festival In Western Odisha Finalised

Sambalpur: Priests on Saturday finalised the ‘Lagna’ (auspicious time for ritual) for Nuakhai, the agrarian festival of Western Odisha. The ‘Navanna’ or newly harvested rice will be offered to Goddess Samaleswari, the presiding deity of Sambalpur district, between 10.05 am and 10.20 am, on September 3 this year.

Following traditional puja at the Brahmapura temple in Sambalpur city, priests finalised the lagna, a day after the Janmashtami yesterday. As per the tradition, the Nuakhai is celebrated on ‘Panchami tithi’ of the Odia month of Bhadraba.

Similarly, the lagna for Nuakhai festival at the temples of Goddess Sureswari and Asthachandi in Subarnapur district has been fixed between 9:57 AM and 10:11 AM on September 3.

Nuakhai is celebrated by offering the newly-harvested crop to the presiding deity as a mark of gratitude for good rain and bumper harvest.