The 10th edition of the World's Largest Nuakhai Bhetghat in Dubai celebrated

Dubai: While Nuakhai was celebrated on September 8 in Western Odisha, "Nuakhai Paribar UAE" celebrated it on the 15th September  with much fanfare at SEE Institute, Dubai. The hall in the institute was transformed into a microcosm of  Western Odisha with a huge display of Western Odisha’s culture showcasing her unique language, handlooms and music & dance.

This was the 10th edition of the UAE Nuakhai Bhetghat, which started in 2014. It is the largest Nuakhai celebration held outside India. The hall was packed with people from all across UAE. Some families had even come down from neighboring countries like Oman to participate in the festival. 

Satish Kumar Sivan, Consul General of India to Dubai, attended the program as the chief guest. He said he was delighted to be a part of Nuakhai. Guests from Western Odisha also arrived for this special event organized by Nuakhai Paribar, UAE. Eminent artist Archana Padhi and lyricist-singer Shashwat Tripathy graced the event. Their presence added color to the occasion. Everyone enjoyed the Sambalpuri dance and songs.

International sand artist Sudam Pradhan also graced the occasion. Sudam captured everyone's attention with his live performance on stage, which was well-received. He was honored with the "Juhar Samman UAE" and expressed his gratitude to Nuakhai Paribar for the recognition. A live painting of Maa Samaleswari was done by Dubai based accomplished Odia artist Ms. Mona Biswarupa Mohanty on the stage. The Nuakhai Paribar has always endeavored to promote the art and culture of Western Odisha, and like every year, artists from Western Odisha were invited and honored.

The event began with a special aarti and puja for Maa Samaleswari, where the new grain (specially flown in from Western Odisha)  was first offered to her, this was followed by exchanging Nuakhai greetings with one another. One of the highlights of the function was the serving of traditional Western Odisha foods, with Ambil being a much sought after delicacy. As part of the Bhetghat celebrations, a display of Sambalpuri culture was showcased, featuring Western Odisha’s language, music, dance, and handlooms. The hall was packed with people, all dressed in Sambalpuri attire.

A special team from Odisha Samaj Abu Dhabi performed a fashion show in Sambalpuri attire. A souvenir was also unveiled to mark the 10th anniversary of Nuakhai celebrations in the UAE.