Happy Vishu

Wishing you all a Happy New Year

Vishu is celabrated as a New Year in Kerala in the Month of April. The main ritual on this day is Vishukkani. It is believed that the first objects which one sees on the morning of Vishu determine the prosperity experienced in the coming year. As a result, people make it a point to see all the auspicious things as soon as they wake up. A special ritual arrangement of auspicious articles like raw rice is put in a circular bell-metal vessel known as 'Uruli' and over it a folded newly washed cloth is spread. A golden coloured cucumber, betel leaves, betel nuts, metal mirror, yellow flowers of Konna tree (cassia fistula), a few gold coins are then placed over the cloth in the vessel. Then some oil is put into two coconut halves, a few wicks are lit and this illuminates the goodies inside. A bell metal lamp called nilavilakku is lighted near it.

The morning the Vishu is about 5 O'clock, one of the members of the house, usually the eldest female member, not surprisingly, lights the lamp and looks at ‘Kani’. She wakes up the other members, one after another and the Kani is shown to every one of them, taking particular care not to allow anyone to look by chance at other things. My mom closes my eyes with her hand and makes me walk till the pooja room to see the "Kani" in the early morning. She does this one by one to all of them in my family. Its is our turn now to start the process:)

The next important thing is kaineettam a token amount of money. The old members of the family give kaineettam to the youngsters as part of celebaration. When vishu nears, all I think of is money in my childhood. This time I got it from my hubby dear. Later in the day, a feast is prepared at home called " Sadya" and the whole family enjoys having lunch together. That’s a little information on what we do on “ Vishu”.

Wishing you all a Happy Vishu.