Happy Vishu 2018: The Beautiful Rituals and Traditions of the Malayalam New Year

Come April and every Malayali household in the country is busy spring cleaning, preparing for Vishu, the Malayalam New Year. It’s the time of the year when the seasonal produce is aplenty and the Cassia fistula flowers, which holds a lot of cultural significance in Vishu, are in full bloom. Although some may disagree, Vishu is perhaps even more anticipated than its well-known harvest-season counterpart Onam. The sights and sounds of Vishu are much different from what we get to see during Onam, the sadhya being the only factor that binds the two. And contrary to popular belief, there’s more to the Kerala New Year than just the sadhya and the payasams. Vishu is celebrated every year to coincide with the completion of the spring equinox. This year it falls on April 14, according to the Gregorian calendar. For the benefit of the non Malayalis, here are some of the rituals and traditions associated with Vishu.

The Vishu Kani

Kani is essentially the first thing you see in the morning, which sets the tone for the rest of the day. The Vishu Kani is an elaborate arrangement of auspicious things that you are supposed to witness on a New Year morning for a prosperous and eventful year ahead. A new pudava (white cloth with golden border), seasonal produce, sweetmeats, gold ornaments, money grains, betel leaves, mirror and a figure of Lord Krishna with a lighted lamp constitute the kani. Adding to the golden theme of the kani is the konna or the Cassia Fitsula flowers, which is an important component of the kani.

The matriarchs set up the Vishu Kani at night, waking before the crack of dawn to light lamps. Then gently rousing the kids one-by-one from sleep, the parents cover the children’s eyes and led them to the room where the kani is kept. The Vishu morning thus begins with the auspicious sight of the lit lamps, glimmering gold ornaments, fresh produce, yellow flowers and the majestic statue of Lord Krishna in the golden light.

Fire crackers

Diwali is pretty much a damp squib in Kerala, where it is not celebrated with the same pomp as the rest of the country. But Vishu is the time of the year in Kerala when the cracker sales hit the roof! In certain parts of Kerala, especially the north, Vishu is synonymous with fireworks. After the morning kani and the ablutions, everybody wears their Vishu fineries and burst crackers in the morning. The distinct sound of crackers also rouses those who are still fast asleep on a Vishu morning.

Kaineettam

Literally translated as “Extending one’s hands,” Kaineetam is the most anticipated part of Vishu. It is customary for the elders in the house to give money or gold coins to the young ones in the family. The idea is to start the New Year on a prosperous note. Wealthy families also distribute money and clothes to the community on the Vishu morning.

Vishu Sadhya

A breakfast comprising Vishu katta a sweet dumpling made of rice flour and Vishu kanji a special gruel is served on the Vishu morning. The second-most anticipated part of Vishu is the grand lunch or sadhya. A large variety of summer produce is used to prepare delicacies such as sambar, eriserry, puliserry, kalan, thoran, avial and olan. The family sits down for a sumptuous lunch served on a banana leaf. Accompaniments such as rasam, chaas and pappads are also served alongside the delicacies. The meal is then rounded off with bananas and two types of payasam. Here’s everything you want to know about the sadhya.

The common thread of prosperity and happiness connects all the rituals of Vishu. The reason is that the festival marks the movement of the sun to Mesha Rashi or Aries. Typically, it is around the time when farmers start preparing the land for agriculture and ploughing. The Vishu traditions are therefore meant to instil a sense of positivity among the agrarian society and anticipate a bumper harvest during the Onam months.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 12, 2018 02:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).