Blunder in Nua Khai wish by CM Raman

     Raipur, September 06, 2016: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh has sent “Nua Khai” wishes to wrong people of Odisha.

     Although it sounds awkward, but due to wrong wording in a government release that wishes has been sent to the people of those part of Odisha, who never celebrate Nua Khai.

     Nua Khai is the harvest festival of Western part of Odisha, which was earlier a portion of the ancient Koshal and has been sharing its centuries old relations with the current state of Chhattisgarh. Those areas of Odisha and current Chhattisgarh had a common capital that time called Sirpur and Queen Vasata had constructed temples in both sides of the current state boundaries.

     During this festival Nua Khai people offer the first rice of their harvest to the local deity, like Samaleswari, Patmeswari, and Manikeswari among others and then take that as a prasad.

     The mahurat or lagna for Nua Khai are fixed with the calendar of the local deity.

     However, a Chhattisgarh government release made the entire thing a faux pas.

     It says “Mukhyamantri ne Utkal samaj ko di Nua Khai ki subhkamanae” means the Chief Minister wishes the people of Utkala on the occasion of Nua Khai.

     Utkala is roughly the present day coastal Odisha, where Nua Khai is never celebrated.

     Because of the ignorance of some government employees, the wishes of the Chief Minister were directed to that section of the people of Odisha, who never celebrated that.

     The matter was a topic of discussion among the people of Western Part of Odisha, who celebrated Nua Khai today.