Odisha CM declares September 9 as public holiday for Nuakhai festival

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today declared September 9 as public holiday in view of the celebration of the Nuakhai festival in the State.

Majhi declared September 9 (Monday) as public holiday as this year the Nuakhai festival falls on September 8, which is Sunday.

All the government offices, magisterial courts, schools and colleges across the State will remain closed on September 9 in view of the Nuakhai celebration.

Nuakhai or Nabanna is an annual festival and is celebrated to welcome the new paddy crop. On this auspicious day, the farmers offer the new grain to the presiding deities between the ‘Lagna’ (auspicious time), mostly in the morning hour. Later in the afternoon, people enjoy themselves organising dance, games etc. They also greet each other with a new spirit in a ritual called ‘Nuakhai Bhet’ in local parlance on this day.