Sambalpur, Aug 31 : Parents and grandparents in particular are now a happy lot all over Western Odisha, the reason their children have come home to celebrate Nualakhi festival.

Nuakhai festival,the famous agrarian festival of Western Odisha will be celebrated on Thursday, the day following Sri Ganesh Chaturthi.

“Coming home in NUAKHAI is a routine for my son and daughter ever since they left home for jobs after completion of their education,” says Mrs. Bandita Pujari from N Guha lane of the city.
Pujari who stays alone in her home says “passing time is a difficult task for me. So I keep myself engaged in social activities”.
Her son Pankaj who works in Bhubaneswar as an engineer had come to home two days before Nuakhai with my daughter in law and two grandsons,” says Pujari with smile on her face

All this is possible because Nuakhai has given me an opportunity to get united every year,” says
the jubilant lady holding the arms of her grandsons .

Bandita’s case is a common feature in almost all the families of Western Odisha, from rural to
urban and from rich to poor.

In the case of Narayan Patnaik at Bargarh, his happiness knows no bounds. His son and daughter
in law from SCB Medical college and hospital have never failed to come home in spite of their busy schedule and work pressures.

“But somehow they manage to come for a day with much difficulties and this year they have arrived also,” says Patnaik.

In all families of Western Odisha, it is now possible to see all members under one roof, and Nuakhai festival makes it possible.

Even if nature and God is hostile to the people amidst the present situation of global warming, the common man has not made any laxity in showing his/her gratitude to the Almighty and Nuakhai is a part of it although a good crop is not foreseen this year, opines Sailabala Pradhan, a teacher cum social activist from Jharsuguda.

The state government has declared Nuakhai as a official holiday even for the banks across the state and released the installment of Rs.2000 assistance to nearly 41 lakhs farmers in the state under the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KA LIA) scheme.