SSC
Nuakhai, a harvest festival in which the new rice is offered to the deity, is celebrated mainly by the people of:
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Answer: Option A — Western Odisha
Detailed Solution
Nuakhai is the most important festival of western Odisha, celebrated in the districts of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Balangir, Kalahandi, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Nuapada, and also in neighbouring parts of Chhattisgarh. It is an agricultural festival to welcome the new rice crop of the season.
The name Nuakhai comes from "nua" (new) and "khai" (eating), meaning "eating the new rice". It is celebrated on the fifth day of the bright half of the month of Bhadrapada (August-September), the day after Ganesh Chaturthi. At an auspicious time (lagna) fixed by the priests, the new rice (nabanna) is first offered to the presiding deity. In Sambalpur, the offering is made to Goddess Samaleswari, the most revered deity of the region. Only after this offering do people eat the new rice themselves, in their homes with their families.
Nuakhai is a festival of family and community. Family members living away from home return to their villages to celebrate together. The eldest member of the family distributes the new rice to all members. After the meal, people greet each other with "Nuakhai Juhar", in which younger members seek the blessings of elders, and people forgive old quarrels and renew relationships. The festival is followed by cultural programmes, folk songs and dances, such as the Dalkhai, Rasarkeli and Sambalpuri dances, performed to the music of the dhol, nisan and tasa. People wear new clothes, especially the famous Sambalpuri handloom saris and fabrics.
Nuakhai is celebrated by all communities of the region, including tribal communities, and it is a public holiday in Odisha. The tradition is very old and was patronised by the rulers of Sambalpur.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Southern Kerala celebrates Onam as its harvest festival.
- ✗Northern Gujarat celebrates festivals such as Navratri and Uttarayan.
- ✗Eastern Rajasthan celebrates festivals such as Gangaur and Teej.
Quick tip
Remember: Nuakhai = western Odisha (Sambalpur), the new rice, Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami, Goddess Samaleswari and the greeting "Nuakhai Juhar".
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Festivals & Fairs of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Festivals & Fairs of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the religious, harvest, tribal and cultural festivals of India, the fairs (melas) held across the country, and the states, communities and seasons linked to them. It also includes festivals listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, such as Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja in Kolkata. Most questions ask which state celebrates a festival, which tribe it belongs to, or what event it marks. Harvest festivals are especially common: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), Lohri and Baisakhi (Punjab) and Nuakhai (Odisha). Fairs such as the Pushkar camel fair (Rajasthan) and the Sonepur cattle fair (Bihar) are also frequently tested. Revise festivals state by state. Practise the festivals and fairs questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.