Chhadakhai - A planned festival in Odisha

Chhadakhai (Odia: ଛାଡ଼ଖାଇ) is the next day of Kartika Purnima or Panchaka when people of Odisha started eating non-veg almost after one month of Habisa.

As per the tradition of Odias, people use to eat healthy foods made from vegetables during the month of Kartika (the 7th month of Odia calendar which is in October and November month as per the Georgian calendar.)

(Photo: Pragyan Mohapatra)

What is Chhadakhai?

During the 30 days of Kartika, people stop eating non-veg, but some couldn't stop for 30 days, so they stop at least the last five days from the Kartika Purnima, which is known as Panchaka or Panchuka.

(Photo: Saswat K Swain)

And the next day of Panchaka Purnima, people again started eating those which they left 30 days back. The Chhadakhai is an Odia word which is a combination of two words, Chhada which means those we left and Khai means to eat.

(Photo: Manas Muduli)

So, the whole concept of Chhadakhai is to eat those items which they stopped eating for Kartika Masa or Panchaka Vrata.

Is Chhadakhai a Festival?

Actually, Chhadakhai is not a festival to be celebrated. But people nowadays celebrating it like a festival. It's not mandatory to eat non-veg on this day, but you could.

(Photo: Manas Muduli)

And this is not compulsory for everyone to eat non-veg on Chhadakhai. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, then there is no Chhadakhai for you. The whole year is Kartika Masa for you.

How to Celebrate Chhadakhai?

There is no compulsory dish which you should have to prepare for this day to celebrate Chhadakhai. And also if you can't eat on that like Monday, Thursday, Saturday, or any other days on that day you don't eat non-veg, then you could extend your Chhadakhai to your preferable day.

(Photo: FoodieOdia)

Items to prepare on Chhadakhai:

On this day, people usually prepare their favorite non-veg times like Mangsha Jhola, Mangsha Kassa, Chingudi Besara, Chingudi Bhaja, Chingudi Jhola, Machha Bhaja, Machha Tarakari, Mudhi Ghanta, Poda Mangsha, Machcha fry, Kankada Jhola, Chicken Biryani, Mutton Biryani, Chicken Pakoda, and the names just go longer.

(Photo: FoodieOdia)

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