Question: Nuakhai Juhar festival is celebrated in which Indian State?
(a) Odisha
(b) Kerala
(c) Manipur
(d) Rajasthan
Answer: (a)
Related facts:
- The Prime Minister of India greeted the farmers on the occasion of Nuakhai Juhar (23rd August, 2020).
- Nuakhai Juhar is an agricultural festival, also called Nuakhai Parab or Nuakahi Bhetghat.
- It is celebrated to welcome the new crop of the season.
- Nuakhai is a combination of two words that signifies eating of new rice as ‘nua’ means new and ‘khai’ means eat.
- This is the festival of Western Odisha, southern Chhattisgarh and adjoining areas of Simdega (Jharkhand).
- Its coastal counterpart is Nabanna, observed in Coastal Odisha.
- It is observed on panchami tithi (the fifth day) of the lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada (August–September), the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
- Lagan is the fixed time of the day to celebrate the festival.
- Farmers offer the first produce from their lands to Goddess Samaleswari, the famous ‘Mother Goddess’ of Sambalpur district of Odisha.
- Sambalpuri dance forms like Rasarkeli and Dalkhai can be witnessed on this day.
By-Amar Mani Upadhyay
Links:
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-modi-extends-greeting-to-farmers-on-nuakhai-juhar/story-4l9IcrPrkOJkhpfCMxEaML.html#:~:text=Prime%20Minister%20Modi%20tweeted.,grain%20and%20prepare%20special%20meals.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2019/sep/04/families-get-together-for-nuakhai-celebration-2028677.html