Nuakhai harvest festival of western Odisha and Jain Samvatsari observed on 15 September

1
The Prime Minister greeted the nation on Nuakhai, the new-rice harvest festival of western Odisha, with 'Nuakhai Juhar'.
2
He also greeted Jains on Samvatsari, the day of forgiveness that closes Paryushana, with 'Michhami Dukkadam'.
3
Nuakhai centres on offering the first grain (nabanna) to Goddess Samaleswari at Sambalpur.

●Nuakhai ('nua' = new, 'khai' = food): agricultural festival welcoming the new rice; western Odisha, also Chhattisgarh and adjoining Jharkhand; on Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami, the day after Ganesh Chaturthi.
●Rituals: nabanna (new grain) offered first to Goddess Samaleswari; 'Juhar' = greeting/blessing elders; 'Bhetghat' = reunion of family and community.
●Samaleswari Temple: Sambalpur, on the Mahanadi; built under Balaram Dev, first Chauhan ruler of Sambalpur, 16th century.
●Kosli/Kosali = Sambalpuri, the Indo-Aryan speech of western Odisha; the name recalls ancient Dakshina Kosala.
●Samvatsari: last (8th) day of Paryushana for Shwetambaras; Digambaras close the 10-day Das Lakshana Parva with Kshamavani.
●Michhami Dukkadam (Sanskrit 'Mithya me dushkritam'): 'may my wrongdoing be fruitless' — the Jain plea for forgiveness from all beings.

upsc

GS Paper 1 > Art & Culture > Festivals and Religions

★Match festivals to states and presiding deities (Nuakhai – Odisha – Samaleswari).

Nabanna

The first new grain of the harvest, offered to the deity at Nuakhai.

Samvatsari

Jain day of annual confession and forgiveness closing Paryushana.

•Nuakhai is a rice harvest festival — don't mix it up with Odisha's Raja Parba (onset of monsoon) or Assam's Bhogali Bihu.

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