President, Odisha Governor, CM greet people on 'Nuakhai' festival

Bhubaneswar: President Droupadi Murmu, Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on 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."

कृषि आधारित लोकपर्व नूऑंखाइ के अवसर पर मेरी ओर से समस्त देशवासियों, विशेषकर ओड़िशावासियों को हार्दिक बधाई।
यह त्योहार कृषि के प्रति सम्मान और किसानों के प्रति कृतज्ञता व्यक्त करने का पावन अवसर है। यह सद्भाव और आत्मीयता का प्रतीक है। मेरी शुभकामना है कि नूऑंखाइ सभी के जीवन को सुख,…

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) 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#ନୂଆଁଖାଇpic.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 🙏🏻#NuakhaiJuharpic.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." '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 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 survival of humanity, said Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.