In this occasion Dr. Tribikram Padhan, Additional Resident Commissioner, Odisha Bhawan, New Delhi was the Chief Guest; Prof. Yasodhara Mishra, a prominent Litterateur was the Chief Speaker and Professor H.B. Bohidar of JNU addressed the august gathering. Students, teachers of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia and people from different parts of Odisha particularly from Western and South Odisha residing in Delhi and NCR participated in the celebration. Students of these Universities performed beautiful Dhemsa, Sambalpuri and tribal dance and Delhi based Nrityanjali group also performed Rangabati, Nuakhai, Dalkhai, Karamsani and other Sambalpuri dance on this occasion. Audiences from different parts of India enjoyed and praised the cultural programme and the traditional sambalpuri cuisine.
The get together of people from Odisha on this Nuakhai Bhetghat was hailed by everyone as a long awaited special event because most of them are staying outside for higher studies, job, work and couldn’t attend the Nuakhai celebration with their family in Odisha. The Nuakhai Bhetghat provides an opportunity to mingle with the local fellow members and cherish the traditional and revered annual agricultural festival “Nuakhai” in a far place away from home. In the era of globalisation while many cultural and spiritual festivals are rapidly diminishing their importance, the Nuakhai Bhetghat emerges with same traditional accord carrying away the broader thought to propagate the message of universal brotherhood and cultural harmony to the entire world is an exception.