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Nuakhai Festival Date Set for August 28

Sambalpur: The auspicious timing for the Nuakhai festival, a significant agrarian celebration in western Odisha, has been determined. Scholars and astrologers have announced that this year's festivities will take place on Thursday, August 28, coinciding with the fifth day (Panchami) of the lunar fortnight (Shukla Paksha) in the Odia month of Bhadrava.

The rituals dedicated to Goddess Samalei, the festival's presiding deity, will occur during the Libra ascendant (Tula Lagna) between 10:33 AM and 10:55 AM. As per tradition, the first offering of the newly harvested rice, known as 'Nabanna', will be presented to the goddess before the community partakes in the ceremonial meal.

The date was officially confirmed during a ceremony held at 4:30 PM on Saturday at the Brahmapura temple in Jhaduapada, Sambalpur.

Organized by the Brahmapura Trust Board, the event saw participation from priests and astrologers from various regions within the district.

The collective decision was first presented to the deity of the Brahmapura temple through special prayers led by temple priest Santosh Panda. Following this, Sanjay Kumar Mishra, a member of the temple trust board, publicly announced the festival's date and time.

Subsequently, scholars, astrologers, trust board members, and officials participated in a procession through the city, culminating at the Samalei Temple at dusk.

At the temple, they offered special prayers to the goddess and presented the Nuakhai Lagna.

The chief priest of Samalei temple, Ambika Prasad Ray, along with the trust board chairman Sanjay Kumar Babu and other priests, accepted the 'Lagna' in accordance with traditional practices.

The event was coordinated with the assistance of Brahmapura Temple Trust Board members including Saroj Kumar Dalpat, Srimantra Mishra, Sushant Kumar Purohit, Milu Panigrahi, Pranaranjan Panda, Partha Sarathi Mishra, Shubhendra Kumar Panda, Abhishek Mishra, and Praveen Kumar Dixit.

Notable attendees included Shree Shree Brahma Pandit Mahasabha president Rabinarayan Panda, along with various scholars and pandits from across the district.