Bhubaneswar: President Droupadi Murmu, PM Modi, Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik Thursday greeted the people on the occasion of ‘Nuakhai’, an agrarian festival mostly celebrated in the western parts of the state.
‘Nuakhai’, which means ‘new feed’, is basically an agrarian festival where the first crop of the year is offered to the goddess in the western districts of Odisha, and younger people seek the blessings of elders.
Murmu, who hails from Odisha, extended her heartfelt greetings of Nuakhai to all Indians, especially the people of Odisha.
The President in a post on X said: “On the occasion of the agriculture-based Nuakhai festival, heartfelt congratulations to all countrymen from my side, especially to the people of Odisha. This festival is a sacred opportunity to express respect for agriculture and gratitude towards farmers. It is a symbol of goodwill and intimacy. My best wishes are that Nuakhai fills everyone’s life with happiness, peace, and prosperity.”
କୃଷିଭିତ୍ତିକ ଗଣପର୍ବ ନୂଆଁଖାଇ ଉପଲକ୍ଷେ ଦେଶବାସୀ ବିଶେଷକରି ଓଡ଼ିଶାବାସୀଙ୍କୁ ମୁଁ ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଜଣାଉଛି । କୃଷି ପ୍ରତି ସମ୍ମାନ ଏବଂ କୃଷକଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି କୃତଜ୍ଞତା ହେଉଛି ଏହି ପର୍ବର ବିଶେଷତ୍ଵ । ଏହା ଆମ ବନ୍ଧୁତ୍ୱ ଓ ଆତ୍ମୀୟତାର ପ୍ରତୀକ ମଧ୍ୟ । ନୂଆଁଖାଇ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ଜୀବନକୁ ସୁଖ, ଶାନ୍ତି ଓ ସମୃଦ୍ଧିରେ ଭରିଦେଉ, ଏହା ମୋର…
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 28, 2025
Modi said said Odisha’s Nuakhai festival reminds peoples’ deep gratitude to farmers for their hard work.
In a post on X, Modi said, “Wishing everyone a joyous Nuakhai. This cherished festival is a reminder of our deep gratitude to the farmers whose hard work sustains us all. May there be good health, prosperity and happiness in every home. Nuakhai Juhar!”
ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ନୂଆଁଖାଇର ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଶୁଭକାମନା । ଏହି ଲୋକପ୍ରିୟ ପର୍ବ କୃଷକମାନଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ଆମର ଗଭୀର କୃତଜ୍ଞତାର ସ୍ମରଣ କରାଏ, ଯାହାଙ୍କ କଠିନ ପରିଶ୍ରମ ଆମ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କର ଭରଣପୋଷଣ କରେ । ପ୍ରତିଟି ଘରେ ଉତ୍ତମ ସ୍ୱାସ୍ଥ୍ୟ, ସମୃଦ୍ଧି ଏବଂ ଖୁସି ବିରାଜମାନ କରୁ ।
ନୂଆଁଖାଇ ଜୁହାର୍ !
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 28, 2025
The governor in a post on X said: “My heartfelt greetings and best wishes to the people of the state on the occasion of the mass festival #Nuakhai of Western Odisha. May everyone’s life be filled with happiness and prosperity by the blessings of Mother Samlei.”
ପଶ୍ଚିମ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଗଣପର୍ବ #ନୂଆଖାଇ ଅବସରରେ ରାଜ୍ୟବାସୀଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଓ ଶୁଭକାମନା।ମାଆ ସମଲେଇଙ୍କ ଆଶୀର୍ବାଦରୁ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ଜୀବନ ସୁଃଖ, ସମୃଦ୍ଧିରେ ପରିପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହେଉ।
-ମାନ୍ୟବର ରାଜ୍ୟପାଳ ଡ. ହରି ବାବୁ କମ୍ଭମପାଟି pic.twitter.com/okdZ8Drji8— Governor Odisha (@GovernorOdisha) August 28, 2025
Majhi also expressed his greetings to the people of the state and said: “Our culture, prosperity and symbol of unity, Nuakhai, I congratulate and salute you….May this Nuakhai, which has come carrying new hopes, fill your life with happiness, peace and prosperity, this is what I am praying for in the cave of my heart. #Nuakhai.”
ଆମର୍ ସଂସ୍କୃତି, ସମୃଦ୍ଧି ଆର୍ ଏକତାର ପ୍ରତୀକ୍ ନୂଆଁଖାଇ ତିହାର୍ ଉଧେ ସମ୍କୁ ମୋର୍ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ୍ ଆର୍ ଜୁହାର୍ ।
ନୂଆଁ ଆଶା ନେଇକରି ଆସିଥିବାର୍ ଇ ତିହାର୍ ସମକର୍ ଜୀବନଥି ସୁଖ, ଶାନ୍ତି ଆର୍ ସମୃଦ୍ଧି ଭରିଦେଉ, ଇଟା ହିଁ ମୁଇଁ ମାଁ ସମଲେଇଙ୍କର ପାହାତଲେ ଗୁହାରି କରୁଛେଁ। #Nuakhai #ନୂଆଁଖାଇ pic.twitter.com/uE7a9dPW5P
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) August 28, 2025
Patnaik also expressed his heartfelt greetings to the people and in a video message, said: “On the eve of the auspicious Nuakhai festival, I extend greetings to the people of Odisha with ‘Nuakhai Juhar’.”
ନୂଆଁଖାଇ ଜୁହାର୍ 🙏🏻
ନୂଆଁଖାଇ ଉଧେ ସମ୍ କୁ ମୋର୍ ଗୁର୍ଦୁଟେ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଆର୍ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ୍। ମା' ସମଲେଇଙ୍କର୍ ଆଶୀର୍ବାଦ୍ ସମ୍ କର୍ ଉପରେ ଥାଉ।
ଜଏ ମା' ସମଲେଇ 🙏🏻#NuakhaiJuhar pic.twitter.com/7iQPpa4GOO
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) August 28, 2025
Majhi, in a video message, said: “The practice of offering ‘Nuakhai Juhar’ (respect) to elders, receiving blessings, and celebrating with dance, music, pitha (cake), and pana (betel) carries forward a unique legacy of togetherness. On this day, I urge students, youth, workers, farmers, and soldiers to dedicate themselves to their responsibilities and contribute to building a developed Odisha by 2036 and a developed India by 2047.”
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who represents Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency, said: “On the occasion of Nuakhai, a great festival of our region, a great agrarian community festival, I extend very warm greetings and congratulations to all the people. Nuakhai speaks of the prosperity and well-being of the farmers and agriculture.
“Along with that, it highlights food security for everyone. On this auspicious occasion of our major festival ‘Nuakhai’, we are praying to Maa Samaleswari and the great Lord Shri Jagannath for everyone’s happiness, prosperity, and progress.”
ଜୁହାର୍ 🙏
ଆମର୍ ରାଏଜ୍ ର ମହାନ୍ କୃଷିଭିତ୍ତିକ୍ ଗଣପର୍ବ ‘ନୂଆଁଖାଇ’ ଅବସର୍ ଥି ରାଏଜ୍ବାସୀ କୁଁ ବହୁତ୍ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଆର୍ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ୍ ଜନଉଛେଁ । ନୂଆଁଖାଇ "ଚାଷୀ ଆଉ ଚାଷ୍ର ଉନ୍ନତି ଆଉ ସମ୍ରୁଧିର୍ କଥା କହେସି । ତା’ର୍ ସାଂଗେ ସମସ୍ତକଁ ର୍ ଲାଗି "ଖାନା-ସୁରକ୍ଷା’ କେ ଉଜାଗର୍ କର୍ସି । ଆମର୍ ବଡ୍ଖା ତିହାର୍ ‘ନୂଆଁଖାଇ’ ର୍ ଇ ଶୁଭ୍… pic.twitter.com/359Wbv1gah
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) August 28, 2025
‘Nuakhai’, a mass festival of the state, is celebrated with people wearing new clothes, worshipping the presiding deity and having a sumptuous lunch with the entire family.
Exchanging ‘Nuakhai Juhar’, a traditional greeting form, among friends, relatives and well-wishers, is a major part of the festival apart from rituals associated with temples. On the occasion, the farmers of western Odisha offer their first crop of the year to their presiding deities, and the heads of the family offer rice and other food items to their presiding deities.
Major celebrations are held at the temple of Maa Samaleswari in Sambalpur, Maa Pataneswari in Bolangir, Maa Manikeswari in Kalahandi and other places. Earlier, the Nuakhai festival was observed on a different time and day as per separate temple timings. However, since 1991, the people of the state have been celebrating the festival on the same day.
The entire western region of the state, comprising about 10 districts, joins the festival, and people living outside their villages return to their houses on this day to seek the blessings of elders.
The Nuakhai festival is observed to express gratitude to the Goddesses for providing food grain for the survival of humanity, said Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.
