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Odisha's calendar is full of festivals that outsiders rarely notice and customers never forget. A greeting on Raja, on Nuakhai or on Kartik Purnima tells a customer that your business knows them. This guide shows how to plan Odia festival greetings on WhatsApp for Raja Parba, Nuakhai and Bali Jatra, how to handle the language question honestly and how to keep greetings welcome rather than annoying.
For definitions, see our guides to WhatsApp automation and message templates.
Three Festivals Worth Planning For
Raja Parba (June)
Raja is a three-day festival that honours the earth's annual cycle of fertility and celebrates womanhood, and it is tied to Mithun Sankranti. One calendar lists 14 to 16 June for 2026, according to NavBharat Live. It suits fashion, sweet and bakery businesses, salons and anyone who serves young women and families. Keep the tone warm and respectful.
Nuakhai (August or September)
Nuakhai marks eating the first newly harvested rice and falls on the fifth day of the lunar fortnight of Bhadrapada, the day after Ganesh Chaturthi, according to Wikipedia. Families gather for Nuakhai Bhetghat, when elders bless the young. Sources disagree on the date for 2026, so check a local panchang before you schedule. It is strongest in western Odisha, so it fits shops, sweet makers and clothing sellers in places such as Sambalpur. See our Sambalpur guide.
Kartik Purnima and Bali Jatra (November)
Bali Jatra begins on Kartik Purnima, with the ritual of Boita Bandana honouring the Sadhabas, Odisha's ancient merchant mariners, according to Hindutone. The Cuttack fair is a large trade fair, and one report mentions around 2,500 stalls for a recent edition, according to OdishaBytes. Calendars give 23 or 24 November for Kartik Purnima in 2026, so confirm the date. It is a good fit for stall owners, artisans, restaurants and shops in and around Cuttack.
The Language Question
You want to write in Odia. Here is what is possible:
| Option | Works? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| An Odia template | No | Odia is not on Meta's template language list |
| An English, Hindi or Bengali template with a short Odia greeting such as "Namaskar" | Usually | Submit one test first, because Meta reviews content |
| A template with a greeting image that has Odia text | Possibly | Images are reviewed too, so test it |
| A reply in Odia after the customer writes back | Yes | Free-form replies are not templates |
Our Odia templates guide explains these options and includes ready Odia replies you can adapt.
A Greeting Plan
| Festival | When to send | Who it fits | Message idea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raja | The day before it begins | Fashion, bakery, salons | A warm greeting, and a small offer if it is real |
| Nuakhai | Morning of the festival | Shops and sweet makers, especially in western Odisha | A greeting only, with no sales pitch |
| Kartik Purnima and Bali Jatra | A few days before | Stalls, artisans, cafés in and near Cuttack | Where to find you, with a location pin |
A pure greeting builds goodwill, but remember that Meta may treat it as marketing, so use the marketing category and add an opt-out line.
Sample Messages to Adapt
| Use | Category | Text |
|---|---|---|
| Raja greeting | Marketing | Namaskar {{1}}! Wishing you and your family a joyful Raja from all of us at {{2}}. Reply STOP to opt out. |
| Nuakhai greeting | Marketing | Nuakhai Juhar {{1}}! May the new harvest bring joy to your home. Warm wishes from {{2}}. Reply STOP to opt out. |
| Bali Jatra stall invitation | Marketing | Hi {{1}}, {{2}} will be at Bali Jatra this year. Find us at {{3}}. Reply here with any question. Reply STOP to opt out. |
| Thank-you after a festival | Marketing | Hi {{1}}, thank you for celebrating with {{2}}. Reply with a number from 1 to 5 to tell us how we did. Reply STOP to opt out. |
Have a native Odia speaker check the greetings, and the order of greetings, before you send them.
Keep Greetings Welcome
- Send only to people who agreed.
- One greeting per festival. Not three.
- Daytime only.
- No pressure. A greeting with a hard sell feels cold.
- Be accurate. If you share a stall location or a date, make sure it is right.
- Have someone ready to reply when customers write back.
What About Cost?
For current plans and how WhatsApp usage is charged, see our pricing page.
How Bigool Connect Fits
Bigool Connect, built by Bigool Digital, is a WhatsApp business communication platform that connects through Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform. It is used online, so you can set it up without a visit. Based on what the product does today, it offers:
- Template campaigns: send approved templates to contacts who have opted in, and track delivery, reads and replies.
- Contacts and tags: keep every customer with notes, tags and groups, and import your list from a CSV file.
- Automations: birthday wishes, reminders, welcome messages and follow-ups that start from a new contact, a tag or a date.
- Photos, documents and location sent from the inbox, and template headers with an image, video, document or location.
- A shared inbox: your whole team answers from one WhatsApp number, with chat assignment and internal notes.
- Starter kits by business type: tags, message templates and draft automations that are installed while you set up.
Bigool Connect does not replace your team and does not guarantee AI accuracy, delivery or sales. For plans and charges, see the pricing page.
Want to schedule your festival greetings? Message the Bigool Connect team or contact us with the form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Odia festivals can a business send greetings for? Raja Parba in June, Nuakhai in August or September, Kartik Purnima and Bali Jatra in November, as well as Rath Yatra, Durga Puja, Kali Puja and Diwali. Choose the ones that match your customers and send only to people who agreed to hear from you.
What is Bali Jatra? Bali Jatra is a festival and trade fair that begins on Kartik Purnima, marked by Boita Bandana, a ritual that honours Odisha's ancient seafaring traders who sailed to Bali, Java, Sumatra and Ceylon. The best-known fair is held in Cuttack.
What is Nuakhai? Nuakhai is a harvest festival, observed on the fifth day of the lunar fortnight of Bhadrapada in August or September, when the first newly harvested rice is offered and eaten. It is especially associated with western Odisha, and relatives visit each other for Nuakhai Bhetghat.
What is Raja Parba? Raja Parba is a three-day festival in June that honours the earth and womanhood and is tied to Mithun Sankranti. Young women are often the focus, and sweets and new clothes are common.
Can I send an Odia greeting through a WhatsApp template? Odia is not on Meta's template language list, so write the template in English, Hindi or Bengali. You can open with a short greeting such as Namaskar. Once the customer replies, you can continue in Odia. Meta reviews template content, so submit a test first.
Can I send a greeting image with Odia text? A marketing template can carry an image header, and an image with a greeting in Odia script can look warm. Meta reviews images as well as text, so submit a test template first and do not assume approval.
How do I know the exact festival date? Check the Odia panchang or the official state holiday list. Sources sometimes disagree, for example on the date of Nuakhai, because of how the lunar day is counted. Confirm before you schedule a message.
What does it cost? For current plans and how WhatsApp usage is charged, see https://bigoolconnect.in/pricing
Conclusion
A short, well-timed greeting for an Odia festival shows customers you know them. Plan one message per festival, be honest about what Meta allows in Odia, check every date and word, and keep a person ready to reply. When you are ready to talk it through, message Bigool Connect.