The much-awaited day, Nuakahi, for the people of western Odisha districts, came today with much pomp and gaiety. The major agrarian festival of this region is being celebrated in every nook and corner collectively with much fanfare and religious fervour. People offer the newly harvested Nabanha crop to their respective presiding deities at a stipulated moment this morning. While Goddess Samaleswari is being worshipped in Sambalpur, Pateneswari in Bolangiri, Sureshwari in Sonepur, Sekharbasini in Sundargarh and Manikeswari in Kalahandi are offered the new crop. After providing the Nabanha, people relish different delicacies prepared from the newly harvested crop. 

The Nuakhai Juhar is a significant ritual of the festival. It is an exchange of greetings with friends, relatives, and well-wishers. The elders are wished Nuakhai Juhar and they give blessings for long life, happiness and prosperity. Being an agrarian festival, the eldest in each household in rural pockets worshipped their paddy fields, praying for a bumper crop and favourable weather. Women folk leave bed early to perform the Nukhai rituals by decorating the house with colourful rangoli. 

President Droupadi Murmu greeted citizens on the festival of Nuakhai and wished for the prosperity of the country and its people. Nuakhai is a festival celebrated in the western districts of Odisha where the first produce of the field is offered to the goddess and people seek the blessings of elders in each household. The festival is mostly celebrated in Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Deogarh, and Sundergarh.