The harvest festival of Nuakhai was recently celebrated in which Indian state, where it is a major regional festival?

Introduction / Context:
Nuakhai is a traditional harvest festival associated with the agrarian communities of a particular region in India. News reports and general knowledge books often mention that it was recently celebrated, followed by a question about the state where it holds special significance. This question checks whether the learner can correctly connect the name Nuakhai with its cultural home state, an important detail for examinations on Indian festivals and culture.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Nuakhai is a harvest festival, so it is linked with rural agricultural communities.
• The festival is most strongly associated with one Indian state, although neighbouring regions may also observe it.
• All options are Indian states, but only one is regarded as the heartland of Nuakhai.
• The phrase recently celebrated suggests a current affairs style question based on a recurring annual festival.

Concept / Approach:
Nuakhai is widely known as a major festival of western Odisha, especially in areas such as Sambalpur, Balangir and neighbouring districts. The word roughly means new food and refers to eating the new rice of the harvest. While cultural influences can cross borders into adjoining states, Odisha is consistently identified as the main state where Nuakhai is an important public celebration. The approach is to recall this association and eliminate states that are not typically linked with Nuakhai.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the festival name Nuakhai and recall that it is particularly popular in western Odisha. Step 2: Remember that during Nuakhai, farmers offer the first grains of the harvest to the local deity and then share the meal with family and community. Step 3: Check each option and consider its known major festivals: Telangana is known for Bonalu and Bathukamma, Goa for Christmas and Carnival, and Maharashtra for Ganesh Chaturthi. Step 4: Recognise that Odisha is the state repeatedly mentioned along with Nuakhai in news and cultural notes. Step 5: Select Odisha as the correct answer based on this consistent association.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick look at lists of Indian harvest festivals shows Nuakhai described as a major festival of Odisha, particularly the western part of the state. State government and tourism websites of Odisha also highlight Nuakhai as an important regional celebration. While small groups in neighbouring states like Chhattisgarh may also observe a similar festival, the name Nuakhai in national current affairs questions almost always points to Odisha.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Telangana has its own distinct set of festivals and does not treat Nuakhai as a major statewide event. Goa, though an agricultural state in parts, is better known for festivals related to Christian and local Konkani traditions. Maharashtra features large scale celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi and other events rather than Nuakhai. These states may have harvest related observances, but they are not recognised as the cultural home of Nuakhai, so they do not answer the question correctly.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse Nuakhai with other harvest festivals like Pongal, Baisakhi or Onam and then wrongly match it to southern or northern states. Another pitfall is guessing based on geography alone, assuming any eastern or central state could fit. The most reliable approach is to memorise a few key pairings, such as Nuakhai with Odisha, Baisakhi with Punjab and Pongal with Tamil Nadu, so that each festival is firmly fixed to its core region.

Final Answer:
Correct answer: Odisha