Happy Vishu

Today is Vishu, an auspicious festival for Malayalees like me and this is yet another year when I am away from my home town on this occasion. This festival brings in a very high amount of nostalgic feelings.

Vishu (Malayalam:വിഷു) is a festival held in the state of Kerala in South India (and malayali's and Palakkad tamils in adjoining areas of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu). Similar festivals are celebrated in Punjab and Assam, in India, around the first day in the Malayalam Year of Medam (April – May). Vishu follows the sidereal vernal equinox and generally falls on April 14 of the Gregorian year. This occasion signifies the Sun's transit to the zodiac - Mesha Raasi (first zodiac sign) as per Indian astrological calculations. Vishu is also considered as the harvest festival of Kerala and thus the importance of this day to all Malayalees. In Assam this day is called Bihu, in Punjab Baisakhi (originally Vaishakhi) and in Tamil Nadu Tamil Puthandu or Vishu punyakalam.The word "Vishu" in Sanskrit means "equal".

The pictures given here are of the typical “ VishuKani” or offerings to the divine. The day starts of with waking up before the sun rises and seeing the offerings with the light, fruits , gold and god all in one plate which symoblises the beginning of a new year and with hopes that this new year is as prosperous as the plate full of all the offerings or vishukani. I remember as a child how we clamored for this day since this is when we get “kaineetam”. 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. The gold and the rice are returned to the Uruli and touch the eyes with flower. Earlier days, it was a custom to give Kaineetam to all the people associated with the house such as servants, field workers and land-tenants. The principle is the symbolic sharing of the prosperity and wishing happiness for all . Depending on how many elders you have got at home and nearby and how gracious they are , you certainly become rich for the next few days). This practice of Kaineetam is very similar to the “redpacket” that chinese elders give out during their new year.