The Bengali harvest festival celebrating newly harvested rice is called Nabanna.
Nabanna is a traditional Bengali festival whose name means “new food” or “new rice.” It is observed mainly in rural areas of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal after the aman rice harvest. Families prepare pitha, payesh, and other dishes from freshly gathered rice.
The festival reflects rice’s central place in Bengali agriculture, cuisine, and culture. Its timing varies because it follows the agricultural calendar rather than a fixed Gregorian date. Villages may mark the occasion with communal meals, folk songs, fairs, and offerings.
Nabanna is sometimes confused with Nuakhai, another eastern Indian harvest festival. Nuakhai is especially associated with Odisha and western Odisha, whereas Nabanna is specifically rooted in Bengali cultural traditions.