Vishu Festival in Kerala | Festival of Kerala

Vishu Festival in Kerala | Festival of Kerala

Vishu: celebrating new year as the sun crosses the equator Attraction: The first day of the Malayalam month Medam (Aries) which is the astronomical new year day when the sun crosses the equator. Vishu, the new years day is considered the best to begin new ventures. We believe that the first thing that one sees on waking up on Vishu day is indicative of the new year's prosperity. Thus Vishukkani (the first thing seen on Vishu day) has become a ritual of great importance here. Quite a few agricultural products and other articles which are considered auspicious and imbued with some ritual significance are arranged in an uruli (a shallow bell metal vessel) on the eve of Vishu, to be seen by all members of the family on waking up. These auspicious articles include raw rice, a length of new cloth, ripe cucumber,green mangoes, betel leaves, arecanut, jack fruit, a metal mirror, the yellow flowers of the Konna (Cassia fistula), and a holy text and coins. A lighted Nilavilakku is placed alongside. Another ritual that marks the day is Kaineettam (hansel) when the older members give a coin to the younger members of the family. The Vishukkani is later taken and distributed among the poor people. It is not uncommon for children to burst fireworks after the Vishukkani. The people wear new clothes (kodi vastram) for the occasion and the elders of the family distribute tokens of money to the children, servants and tenants. These tokens are called Vishukkaineetam and are usually in form of coins. People carry on this custom believing that in this way, their children will be blessed with prosperity in the future. Vishu is also a day of feasting, wherein the edibles consist of roughly equal proportions of salty, sweet, sour and bitter items. Feast items include Veppampoorasam (a bitter preparation of neem) and Mampazhapachadi (a sour mango soup).

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