CONTENTS
- Nuakhai Juhar
- SIMBEX 23
Nuakhai Juhar
Context:
Recently, the Prime Minister of India greeted the people on the auspicious occasion of Nuakhai Juhar.
Relevance:
GS I: Festivals
Dimensions of the Article:
- Nuakhai Juhar: A Festival Celebrating New Rice Harvest
- Rituals
Nuakhai Juhar: A Festival Celebrating New Rice Harvest
- Nuakhai Juhar is a significant social festival celebrated in Western Odisha and parts of Simdega in Jharkhand.
- The term “Nuakhai” consists of “nua,” meaning new, and “khai,” meaning food.
- Purpose: This agricultural festival is observed to welcome the arrival of the new rice crop of the season.
- Nuakhai falls on the fifth day of the lunar fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada or Bhadra (typically August-September). It follows the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
Rituals:
- Nuakhai encompasses nine colors, leading to the observance of nine sets of rituals leading up to the main day of celebration.
- People offer the freshly harvested crop, known as “Nabanha,” to their respective deities.
- Following the offering of Nabanha, individuals enjoy various delicacies prepared from the newly harvested crop.
- A key ritual of Nuakhai is the “Nuakhai Juhar,” which holds special significance during the festival.
SIMBEX 23
Context:
Indian Naval Ships Ranvijay and Kavaratti and submarine INS Sindhukesari arrived in Singapore to participate in the 30th edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX).
Relevance:
GS III: Security Challenges
About SIMBEX 23:
- Annual Bilateral Naval Exercise: SIMBEX 23 is an annual bilateral Naval exercise conducted between the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).
- Longstanding Tradition: This exercise has been conducted since 1994 and holds the distinction of being the longest continuous naval exercise that the Indian Navy has conducted with any other country.
- Two Phases: SIMBEX-2023 is being conducted in two phases. It commences with a Harbour Phase held in Singapore from September 21 to 24, 2023, followed by a Sea Phase.
- Participating Assets: In addition to naval vessels like Ranvijay, Kavaratti, and Sindhukesari, the exercise also includes the participation of the Long-Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8I.
- Harbour Phase: The Harbour Phase of SIMBEX 23 focuses on a wide range of professional interactions, cross-deck visits, Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE), and sports fixtures. These activities are designed to enhance interoperability and mutual understanding between the two navies.
- Sea Phase: The Sea Phase involves complex and advanced air defense exercises, gunnery firings, tactical maneuvers, anti-submarine exercises, and various other maritime operations. This phase aims to hone the war-fighting skills of both navies and consolidate their capability to undertake multi-discipline operations jointly in the maritime domain.
