Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government Tuesday announced an additional holiday for the Nuakhai festival, which is celebrated in a big way in the western part of the state.
According to separate orders, government offices and schools will remain shut August 29 in addition to August 28, the day of the festival.
Coupled with the holiday for Ganesh Chaturthi August 27, government employees and students would get a five-day break from Wednesday to Sunday.
However, September 13, which is a Saturday, has been declared a working day for government employees.
Nuakhai is an agrarian festival during which the first crop is offered to the gods. The festival is mainly celebrated in Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Deogarh and Sundergarh.