Vishu
Vishu
is a new year festival celebrated in the state of Kerala, India. It is similar
to the New Year festivals observed elsewhere in India like Baisakhi(Punjab),
Bihu(Assam), Naba Barsha(Bengal), Bisu (Tulu Nadu region in Karnataka) and
Puthandu(Tamil Nadu). Vishu generally falls on April 14 of the Gregorian
calendar. This occasion signifies the Sun’s transit to the zodiac – Mesha Raasi
(first zodiac sign) as per Indian astrological calculations and astronomically
represents the vernal equinox. “Vishu” in Sanskrit means “equal”. Therefore
Vishu is more probably denoting one of the equinox days. Although Vishu (first
of Medam) is the astrological new year day of Kerala, the official Malayalam
new year falls on the first month of Chingam (August – September). However, 1st
of Chingam has no significance either astrologically or astronomically. Chingam
is the harvest season in Kerala and southern parts of coastal Karnataka.
The festival is marked with
offerings to the divine called Vishukanni. The offerings consists of a ritual
arrangement in the puja room of auspicious articles like rice,linen, cucumber,
betel leaves, matal mirror, holy text and coins in a bell metal vessel called
uruli.
A lighted bell metal lamp called
nilavilakku is also placed alongside. This arrangement is completed by the
women of the house during the previous night. On the day of Vishu, it’s a
custom to wake up at dawn and go to the puja room with the eyes closed so that
the first thing a person sees is the Vushukanni. The Vishukanni is later
distributed among the poor.
People wear new clothes for the occasion and the elders in the family distribute tokens of money to the children, servants and tenants. These tokens are called Vishukkaineetam and are usually in the form of coins. People carry out this custom believing that in this way, their children would be blessed with prosperity in the future.
Vishu is considered to be a day of feasting, wherein the edibles consist of roughly equal proportions of salt, sweet, sour and bitter items.Feast items include Veppampoorasam (a bitter preparation of neem) andMampazhapachadi (a sour mango soup)
