Vishu

About

Vishu is a festival of Kerala, kept on the first day of the Malayalam month of Medam. It falls around April 14, on the day the Sun enters Mesha (Aries), and it is one of the many mid-April festivals that mark the solar new year in different parts of India. The word vishu is generally taken to mean "equal" and relates to the equinox, when day and night are close in length.

Vishu is often called the Malayalam New Year. The Kerala government treats the first of Chingam, in August, as the start of the Malayalam year in the Kollam Era. But many families still think of Vishu as the start of a new year in spirit, and some accounts say Vishu was the New Year before Chingam 1 was adopted. Sources differ on the history. Both days are kept in Kerala. The Malayalam calendar page on this site explains the two.

Significance and stories

Vishu is about beginnings. According to a widely held belief, the first thing you see on the morning of Vishu sets a good tone for the year. This is the idea of kani, which means "that which is seen first". The Vishukkani is the arrangement that you are led to see as the first sight of the day.

Several stories are linked with the day. One tradition connects Vishu with Lord Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura. Accounts differ, and the festival is not tied to one story. Most families keep it as a day of hope, prosperity and thanks.

Vishu also follows the farming year. It comes as the spring harvest is gathered and the work of sowing for the monsoon begins. The golden flowers of the konna tree (the Indian laburnum, Cassia fistula) bloom at this time, which is why they are part of the festival.

How to observe (puja vidhi)

1. The evening before. Arrange the Vishukkani in the puja room or another quiet place. Place a bell-metal vessel (an uruli) and fill it with raw rice. Add the items listed below, and light the lamp last, just before bedtime or before dawn.
2. Before dawn. An elder wakes the others with eyes closed, and leads each to the Vishukkani. This is called kani kanal, and the person opens their eyes only when facing it.
3. First sight. Look at the Vishukkani with the lit lamp. Pray briefly for the year ahead.
4. Vishukkaineettam. Elders give a gift of money or a coin to younger family members. This is called Vishukkaineettam.
5. Bath and new clothes. Bathe, wear new or clean clothes, and visit the temple if you can.
6. The Vishu meal. Prepare and share a vegetarian feast, the Vishu Sadya, in the late morning.

Practices vary by household. Follow your family's way.

Puja items (samagri)

• A bell-metal vessel (uruli) or a wide brass vessel, filled with raw rice
• Golden konna flowers, or yellow flowers such as marigold if konna is not available
• A picture or idol of Krishna or Vishnu
• A mirror, a gold ornament or coin, and a new cloth
• A coconut, split or whole, fruits and vegetables, including a yellow cucumber (vellarikka) and a jackfruit if available
• A lit brass lamp (nilavilakku)
• Coins or notes for the kaineettam
• Ingredients for the sadya

Fasting and food

Vishu is a festival of feasting, not fasting. Some families begin the day with a simple offering, such as Vishu katta or Vishu kanji, a sweet rice preparation taken as prasad (blessed food). The main meal is a vegetarian sadya served on a banana leaf. It usually has rice, sambar, a few vegetable dishes, rasam, pickles, banana chips and different kinds of payasam. The number of dishes varies. Some families serve many, and others a few. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or nursing, or are elderly, follow your doctor's advice about food. A smaller meal is fine.

Regional customs

The Vishukkani can be quite simple or very elaborate. In many homes, an image of Krishna or Vishnu is at the centre, and in others, the arrangement is based on rice, gold and a mirror. Fireworks are part of the Vishu celebration in many parts of Kerala, especially in the north. Temples hold special early-morning Vishukkani viewings.

Beyond Kerala, the same day is celebrated under other names. Tamil Nadu has Puthandu, Punjab has Baisakhi, Assam has Bohag Bihu, Bengal has Poila Boishakh, and Odisha has Maha Vishuva Sankranti. They all mark the Sun's entry into Mesha.

Celebrating in the USA

Vishu often falls on a weekday. Many Malayali associations hold a Vishu celebration on a nearby weekend, with a sadya and a Vishukkani display. Contact a local association or Kerala temple.

At home, prepare the Vishukkani the evening before, using what is available. Konna flowers are rarely sold here, so marigolds or other yellow flowers are widely used instead. Indian grocery stores sell yellow cucumber, jackfruit and banana leaves (often frozen). Place the lamp on a stable plate, away from curtains. If you work early, do the first-sight ritual before leaving. A small gift of money in an envelope serves for the kaineettam.