Orissa Review * September-October - 2007 Nuakhai : An Epitome of the Great Tradition of India Dr. Chitrasen Pasayat Nuakhai festival of west Orissa is observed on been there since time immemorial. In other words, panchami tithi (fifth day) of lunar fortnight of Nuakhai is of fairly ancient origin. For some Bhadrava (August-September), the day after researchers, the fundamental idea of the Ganesh chaturthi. Agriculture, as it is commonly celebration can be traced back at least to the all over India, is the main source of living of a Vedic times when our rishis had talked of pancha bulk of the inhabitants of Orissa. In other words, yajna i.e. the five important activities in the annual the major chunk of the Oriya calendar of an agrarian population derives its main society. These five activities income from agriculture. The have been specified as sita great masses of tribal yajna (the tilling of the land), population are also cultivators, pravapana yajna (the sowing farm servants and labourers. of seeds), pralambana yajna The important and main tribes (the initial cutting of crops), of Orissa like Binjhal, Bhumia, khala yajna (the harvesting of Gond, Kondh, Mirdha, Saura / grains) and prayayana yajna Savara, etc. are at the moment (the preservation of the settled agriculturists. Nuakhai is produce). In view of this, an agricultural festival of both Nuakhai may be seen as the tribal people as well as the having evolved out of the third caste-Hindus. Despite the fact activity, namely pralambana that the festival is observed yajna which involves cutting of through out Orissa, it has a the first crop and reverent major influence on the life and offering of the same to the culture of the tribal dominated west Orissa. It is mother goddess. Although, the foundation of this not a pretentious celebration, not just an exhibition festival has got buried in darkness, oral tradition of tradition, either. It is a festival of worship of dates its back to the time of first Chauhan Raja food grain. Accordingly, it nurtures a profound Ramai Dev of Patnagarh in west Orissa. In his appreciation and admiration for the growth of efforts to building an independent rajya, Raja rice, which is a symbolic manifestation of life itself. Ramai Dev realized the significance of settled Worship of food grain is not at all new. It has agriculture because the then subsistence economy 43 Orissa Review * September-October - 2007 of west Orissan people primarily based on hunting itself.The significance and utility of Anna or rice and food gathering could not generate surplus to in daily life of west Oriya people is maintain and sustain a state as discussed understandable. The Hindu sacred texts identify elsewhere. During state formation in Sambalpur paddy as a synonym of life itself (Pasayat, 2003, region, Nuakhai as a ritual festival played a major 2006, 2007): role. Anna Brahmeti Hyajanat, As per the tradition, earlier farmers were Annadeva Khalwani Bhutani Jayante, Annena Jatani, celebrating Nuakhai on a fixed day designed by Annam Prayantyabhisam Bishantiti. the village headman and priest. Afterward, under (Meaning: The other name of Anna is Brahma the patronage of royal families, this simple festival who is Iswara i.e. God. In this sense, Anna is was altered into a mass socio-religious event in Iswara or God. Each life is born out of Anna. It is the entire west Orissa. Nuakhai is a celebration the source of energy. After death, Jiba or anything that speaks of an intense ritual where people of having a life, transforms into Anna for others. So, west Orissa start their life once again afresh. It is the importance of Anna is appreciated in every an instance of reconstruction of relationships. It stage of life. For this reason, it is the source of gives a fresh lease of life to the tillers of the land life, happiness and a part of soul). on the assurance of anna. For prana without anna is absurd and unthinkable. Nuakhai, as it exists, Ahamanna Mahamanna Mahamannam, is an elaborate affair steeped in the highest order Ahamannado Ahamannado Ahamannado, of sanctity. Albeit its exact origin, religious faith Ahamanna Manna Madantama Drwi rules the roosts as people of west Orissa (Meaning: God says that He is Anna. I am the commemorate the festival in style. Of course, off- only receiver of this Anna. Whoever takes Anna late it has traversed international boundaries as I accept that). well. A visit to west Orissa in the Hindu month of Bhudo / Bhadraba (August-September) makes Apart from this, message of unity is spread one well aware and alert of the ensuing thrust of through this event and it reminds every farmer that Nuakhai. Performed soulfully and with a sacred the crop they yield after great toil influences the mind, Nuakhai ritual is the very corner stone of entire life's philosophy and struggle. In view of west Orissa's agrarian institution. Hence, it is the above quotations, it may be believed that it is pretty different. The literary meaning of Nuakhai the economy that decides and determines the celebration is 'eating of new rice ceremony'. cultural life of the people. The economy of west Obviously, it is the day of rejoicing and merry- Orissa is predominantly based on agriculture; it is making for the people as agriculture is their main the fruit of the toil round the year that fulfills the livelihood. Since paddy is the staple food of the needs of the community at large. Consequently, people in general, the rice crops sustain their hope it is a matter of great joys for the peasants and and determine their fate. This is why, a non- farmers admiring the fruits of their efforts and pains agriculturist is also that much concerned about and upon getting the first crop of the year, it should this ritual as a cultivator is. Customarily, each be accepted with great respect and celebration. farmer offers the first grain of the harvest to the Even the collection of this new rice by the head Almighty and then pertakes it. The paddy is given of the family is an important affair. As per the weight as the grain of rice is measured as a tradition, the head of the family proceeds to the representation and symbol of manifestation of life field at the time reckoned to be most auspicious 44 Orissa Review * September-October - 2007 for him and his family. There, he invokes the may be understood that Nuakhai is a ritual after pancha mahabhutas (the five primal forces of which the newly harvested rice gets the status of nature) namely earth, water, light, wind and space consumable item. No other festival in west Orissa and offers them his devout offerings of obeisance is celebrated with such pomp and gaity as the before he plucks the new grain in grateful respect. festival of Nuakhai. After that, he returns with the first-plucked new Nuakhai is one of the most important rice of his field and hands it over to the woman of annual social and religious festivals of west Orissa. the house for worship. Balls of flattened rice and It deeply influences the life and culture of this area. gur are prepared in honour of goddess Laxmi, Earlier, there was no fixed day for celebration of the supreme mother, who is believed to bless us this festival in west Orissa. The festival was held with life-sustaining Anna. The celebration of sometimes during Bhadraba Sukla Paksha (the Nuakhai by the tribal people may, therefore, be bright fortnight of Bhudo / Bhadraba). It was the viewed as a tribalised version of a Hindu notion time when the newly grown Kharif paddy started of Anna or paddy. ripening. There are reasons for observing the There is no denying the fact that the new festival in the Oriya month of Bhadrava even rice is believed to be very sacred. Even in the age though the food grain is not ready for harvesting. of science and technology, Nuakhai has not lost The sole thought is to present the grain to the its significance with the rituals still being adhered presiding deity even before any bird or animal to. It is strictly a taboo for any one to eat the new pecks at it and variety of grain is also ripe for cereal until ceremonial rituals are performed for eating. But old people say that there was no the reigning deity. According to the common proper irrigation facility in the past. In absence of people, the deity is the true master / mistress of widespread irrigation network, poor and small their lands. As a part of the agrarian custom, the land-holders used to cultivate short duration presiding deity is offered prasad prepared from paddy, which were ready for harvesting before the new rice. The household, after perfectly the Nuakhai. Today, with as many as 120 cleaning and washing in all its details, is ready to varieties of paddy getting extinct and many more invite the deity to partake of the first ever pristine vanishing from the scene, only a bunch of stalk is produce of the new season. Considered as an picked up and presented to the deity. Every year, expression of submission, the farmers attribute the the Tithi (day) and Samay (time) of observance good yield to the blessings of the deities. As a was astrologically determined by the Hindu consequence, the newly grown rice is first offered priests. In Sambalpur, Brahmin priests sat together to him / her as a token of reverence and veneration at the Brahmapura Jagannath temple and to the reigning deity. Subsequently, the Prasad calculated the day and time.