Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Sep 11:

People in Gadajat region of Odisha’s Kalahandi district today celebrated Nuakhai festival welcoming the new rice harvest of the season with offering of Navanna to the presiding deity—Maa Manikeswari.

The Gadajat area comprising Bhawanipatna, Lanjigarh, Madanpur Rampur, Thuamul Rampur and Jayapatana in the district celebrated Nuakhai festival today with prasad prepared from newly harvested paddy being offered to Maa Manikeswari this morning.

Scores of people made a beeline to the temple here to witness the rituals.

According to reports, the Navanna was offered to the presiding deity at 8.45 am. Later, the Prasad was distributed among the devotees.

Notably, the Nuakhai celebrations in Kalahandi is different from the one celebrated in other parts of Western Odisha. The Nuakhai at Maa Manikeswari temple is celebrated as per the rituals associated with the deity as compared to the lagna (propitious time) ascertained by pundits in other parts of the region.

The agrarian festival is celebrated at Manikeswari temple on Bhadrab Shukla Dasami.