CONTENTS

1. Nuakhai Juhar
2. 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:

1. Nuakhai Juhar: A Festival Celebrating New Rice Harvest
2. 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.