By Our Correspondent
DUBAI/BHUBANESWAR: The fragrance of our country in a foreign land. While Nuakhai was celebrated on September 8 in Western Odisha, “Nuakhai Paribaar UAE” celebrated it on 15th September with much enthusiasm and cultural extravaganza at SEE Institute, Dubai.
This is the 10th edition of Nuakhai Bhetghat, which began with the aim of “One UAE, One Nuakhai.” It is the largest gathering of Nuakhai held outside India. On this occasion, all the members of Nuakhai Paribaar living across the UAE participated in the event.
Mr. Satish Kumar Sivan, Consul General of India to Dubai, attended the program as the chief guest. Guests from Western Odisha also arrived for this special event organized by Nuakhai Paribaar, 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 Paribaar for the recognition.
A live painting of Maa Samaleswari was done by Ms Mona 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 was first offered to her, 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 must. 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 the OSA in 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.
