Western Odisha Marks Nuakhai With Nabanna Rites at Maa Samaleswari

National and state leaders used the festival to thank farmers in messages on X.

Overview

Priests conducted early-morning rituals in Sambalpur, with the first harvest offered between 10:33 and 10:55 a.m. at the Maa Samaleswari Temple.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings that emphasized gratitude to those who grow the nation’s food.
Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also conveyed wishes, while Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan underscored food security.
In a video message, Chief Minister Majhi urged citizens to work toward a developed Odisha by 2036 and a developed India by 2047.
Families across roughly 10 western districts shared the new grain, exchanged Nuakhai Juhar, and joined folk gatherings, continuing the region’s unified single-day observance established in 1991.