The Nuakhai festival is a widely celebrated festival in the eastern Indian state of Odisha. It is an ancient agricultural festival that marks the beginning of the new crop season and is observed with great joy and enthusiasm. It is celebrated on the tenth day of the lunar month of Bhadra, which usually falls in the month of August or September. Nuakhai is celebrated to welcome the new crop season and is a symbol of prosperity and abundance.

Nuakhai festival is a thanksgiving ceremony that is celebrated to seek blessings of prosperity, good health, and peace in the coming year. The festival is observed mainly by the farmers and rural people of Odisha. On this day, they thank the Almighty by offering puja to Goddess Laxmi and rituals dedicated to the cow and bull. 

Nuakhai is celebrated with much enthusiasm and joy in the state of Odisha. People from all walks of life come together to celebrate this festival with great fervor and enthusiasm. The celebrations begin with the preparation of delicacies such as sweet rice, curd rice, and other traditional dishes. On the day of celebration, people gather in large numbers at their respective places of worship and offer prayers to Lord Surya, the lord of the sun, for a prosperous agricultural season.

After the prayers, people exchange greetings and gifts with each other. People also decorate their homes and neighborhoods with colorful lights, flowers, and garlands. Families also host grand feasts and prepare traditional delicacies to mark the occasion. Nuakhai is also celebrated with traditional folk dance and music performances.

The Nuakhai festival is a symbol of prosperity and brings with it a sense of joy, happiness, and togetherness among the people of Odisha. It is an occasion of great joy, celebration, and sharing and is a reminder that the blessings of nature are not to be taken for granted.