A different tradition

BHAWANIPATNA: The drought conditions, due to delayed monsoon notwithstanding, people across Kalahandi district celebrated the agrarian festival of Nuakhai on Friday.  The celebration which began with offering of new rice before village deities was followed by traditional Nuakhai Juhar and Bhetghat. Nuakhai is celebrated on the first day of Bhadraba Sukla in Bahadurpadar, Patharla and Palkapada in Kalahandi district unlike the other districts of Western Orissa and parts of Kalahandi where it is held on Rusi Panchami. As per tradition the headman of Bahadurpadar was rewarded by the king to celebrate Nuakhai on the first day of Bhadraba Sukla and ever since it is being followed in Bahadurpadar, Patharla and Palkapada. The Nabanna is offered before Goddess Manikeswari on Bhadraba Sukla Dasami and is celebrated on that day in Bhawanipatna, Thuamulrampur, Lanjigarh, Madanpur Rampur and Jaipatna areas of Kalahandi.  However, the royal family doesn’t partake ‘Nabanna’ until it is offered to Goddess Budharaja located on the Manikeswari temple premises of Bhawanipatna and a Chatra Yatra of Maa Manikeswari.