Odisha is a land of diversified culture and festivals; festivals that are akin to a colloquial culture. To give an example, the festival of ‘Rajo’ which celebrates womanhood has its roots embedded in and celebrated more in Central Odisha. Similarly, ‘Thakurani Puja’ is celebrated more in the southern part of Odisha. Among all places of Odisha, Western Odisha is seen to have a maximum number of colloquial festivals related to their culture, like Dhanu Jatra, Nuakhai, Seetala Sasthi etc. One third of the 30 districts of Odisha lie in the western belt, which increases the significance of the place for any marketer.
Nuakhai is one of the prime festivals of Western Odisha, that marks the welcome of the fresh crop or in other words, a festival for the worship of food grain. It is primarily celebrated in Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Balangir, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sonepur, Boudh and Nuapada districts of Odisha. Sarthak TV has always prioritised public connect and this time too, it did an innovative activity this Nuakhai, which no other media house had ever done before in Western Odisha.
Adorning a van showcasing the theme of Nuakhai, Sarthak TV made a tour of the entire interiors of western Odisha, stopping at important congregation points and markets. The van exhibited an ethnic thatched hut, over a base which had a design of agricultural land and crops, the porch of the house had the traditional musical instrument Dhol, a cane basket containing grains and the presiding deity of Western Odisha ‘Maa Samalaeswari’ adorned in the front. Two moderators dressed in traditional western Odisha attire greeted people at the congregation points with the colloquial greeting of ‘Nuakhai Juhar’ which means Nuakhai Salutations, and felicitated them with a pot containing grains and wholesome big betel nut.
It connected so well with the local people there, that they received the same with lot of respect – with folded hands, after removing their footwear. A pre-recorded special song composed on the theme of Nuakhai was played continuously throughout this activity to make a more soul connect to the theme. People gathered in huge groups and even danced their traditional folk dance to the tune of the song being played. This activity done from 23rd August to 05th September 2017 embedded Sarthak TV in the heart and mind of Western Odisha.