Vishu a new dawn to prosperity!

Vishu falls on the first day in the Malayalam month of Medam marking the astronomical New Year day for Malayalis. Keralites celebrate the occasion with great zest and passion. Traditional rituals are followed to bring in another year of prosperity. The heart of this festival is the preparation of the kani (the lucky sight or gift).The custom of preparing the kani has been followed for generations. The women take a large dish made of bell-metal (uruli), arrange in it a grantha (palm-leaf manuscript), a gold ornament, a new cloth, some flowers from the Konna Tree (Cassia fistula), some coins in a silver cup, a split coconut, a cucumber, some mangoes and a jack-fruit. On either side of the dish are placed two burning lamps with a chair facing it. Family members are taken blindfolded and then their blindfolds are removed and they view the Vishu Kani.

Vishukkani points to a year of abundance both spiritually and materially. Food, light, money, knowledge all should fill our life. Taking in the Vishukkani we should pray that the vision remains with us throughout the year. It is not enough that the joy we take from viewing the Vishukkani comes only to our eyes. It must reflect in our thoughts and in our actions. It is up to us to spread this love, happiness and hope to the rest of society.

To celebrate the auspicious festival of Vishu people of Kerala wear kodi vastram (new clothes). Firecrackers are also burst to mark the New Year day. Vishu is also a day of feasting; Special dishes are prepared using jackfruits, mangoes, pumpkins and gourd besides other seasonal vegetables and fruits. The elders of the family starting with the grand father or father give away Kaineetam to the younger ones. The Kaineetam consists of coins (now mostly notes) with Konna flowers, rice and the gold from the Uruli.

A large number of people prefer to see Vishu Kani in temples. A huge rush of devotees can be seen in the temples of Guruvayur, Ambalapuzha and Sabarimala where special prayers are organised to mark the day. People stay overnight in the courtyards of these temples a night before Vishu so that they see Kani, first thing on Vishu in the temple.