Nuakhai or Nuankhai (Oriya: ନୂଆଖାଇ or Oriya: ନୂଆଁଖାଇ) (also known as Nabanna) is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of Western Odisha in India. Nuakhai is observed to welcome the new rice of the season. According to the Hindu calendar it is observed on panchami tithi (the fifth day) of the lunar fortnight of the month ofBhadrapada or Bhaadra (August–September), the day after the Ga
nesh Chaturthi festival. This is the most important social festival of Western Odisha
Nuakhai is also called Nuakhai Parab or Nuakahi Bhetghat. The word nua means new and khai means food, so the name means the farmers are in possession of the newly harvested rice. The festival is seen as a new ray of hope, held the day after the Ganesha Chaturthi festival. It has a big significance for farmers and the agricultural community. The festival celebrated at a particular time of day which is called lagan. Arisa pitha is prepared to celebrate this festival. When the lagancomes, the people first remember their village god or goddess and then have their nua. Nuakhai is the agricultural festival of Hindus. The festival is observed throughout Odisha, but it is particularly important in the life and culture of Western Odisha. It is a festival for the worship of food grain. It has its best celebration in the Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Balangir, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sonepur, Boudh and Nuapada districts of Odisha & Assam.
