Nuakhai celebrated for 40 days in 5 phases in Kalahandi

Bhawanipatna: Kalahandi has a unique tradition of celebrating Nuakhai. The agro-based festival is celebrated every year on Bhadraba Shukla Paksha ‘Panchami Tithi’ in Western Odisha.

But in Kalahandi, Nuakhai is celebrated for 40 days in five phases. In the first phase on Bhadraba Shukla Paksha ‘Pratipada Tithi,’ two villages, Patharla and Bahadurpadar in Kesinga block, observe Nuakhai. In the second phase of Bhadraba Shukla Paksha ‘Panchami Tithi’, people of rural areas in Kalahandi celebrate Nuakhahi.

Every year on Bhadraba Shukla Paksha ‘Dashami Tithi,’ ‘Navarna’ is offered to the tutelary goddess of Kalahandi Maa Manikeswari. In the third phase, people of Bhawanipatna, old Zamindari areas, Karlapat, Thuamul Rampur, Mahul Patna, Jaipatna, Madanpur Rampur and Lanjigarh observe Nuakhai by offering prayer to Manikeswari.

Every year, Chatar Yatra is celebrated on the day after ‘Mahashtami.’ After Chatar Yatra, on ‘Mahanavami tithi,’ Nuakhai is offered to Budharaja (Mahakal Bhairav) temple situated on the north side of Manikeswari temple on the premises of royal palace at Bhawanipatna.

After offering ‘Navarna’ to deity Budharaja (Mahakal Bhairav), the royal family and king celebrate Nuakhai in the fourth phase. In the fifth and last phase, Nuakhai is observed on ‘Bijaya Dashami tithi.’ In the last phase, all the left out people celebrate Nuakhai. Starting from Bhadraba Shukla Paksha Pratipada to Aswin Shukla Paksha Dashami, Nuakhai is celebrated for 40 days in five phases in Kalahandi.