Devotees across western Odisha offer new crop to deities on Nuakhai

Sambalpur: Nuakhai, the agrarian festival of western Odisha, was celebrated with much pomp and splendour in Sambalpur on Saturday.
Devotees in large numbers thronged the temple of Maa Samaleswari, the presiding deity of Sambalpur, to invoke her blessings.
The Nabanna (rice out of the first harvested paddy crop) was offered to the Goddess as per stipulated Lagna (auspicious moment) between 9:05 am and 9:15 am by the temple priest.
The festival was also observed in homes, where the head of the family worshipped the household deity by offering rice and other food items. The Pasadena was then consumed by the family members.
To mark the occasion, several cultural and community programmes have been lined up for the evening.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan have greeted the people of western Odisha on the auspicious occasion.

International sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik through his sand sculpture also wished people.