Vishu is the most joyful festival being celebrated by Keralaities, in South India. Vishu is the time to rejoice with family and friends. People from the northern districts of Kerala, South India. Vishu means the Vishukkani, Vishukaineettam, new clothes, crackers and the elaborate sadya. Vishu evokes a lot of nostalgia. The entire family would get together to celebrate the festival.
The festival is a time of prosperity. The arrangement of the Vishukkani the night before by the senior most woman member of the family, seeing the kani, the Vishukaineettam, and the feast that follows are what make this traditional festival special. The amount paid to kids as Vishukaineettam has increased by leaps and bounds over the years.
But the atmosphere associated with Vishu is to be found no more. As children, we eagerly waited to see the Vishukkani, but the children these days are not very enthusiastic about this tradition. Vishu is a festival to be celebrated with the entire family, and neighbors and friends too, but in the city, rarely does one get company from them.
The Vishukkani is something that most people was eloquent about. The traditional Vishukkani is a beautiful arrangement of kanikonna, flowers of Konna Tree that blossoms during Vishu period only in Kerala, and other flowers, fruits, vegetables, rice, pulses, coconut, betel leaves, areca nuts, gold jewelery, gold and silver coins, kasavu, mirror, bell metal lamps and vaalkannadi, all arranged in a bell metal vessel called uruli. Vishukkani would be brought to the households early in the morning, Almost all families in olden days used to own cows and the kani would be shown to them as well. While most people would see the Vishukkani at their homes, there are others who would first see the kani at the temple.
The bright yellow kanikonna flowers used in the Vishukkani here are not the traditional konna flowers, though they belong to the Cassia family. The actual kanikonna is found only in a couple of places in Thiruvananthapuram. Similarly, the red and yellow vellarikya (cucumber) that is a significant part of Vishukkani gives way to the green vellarikya . Traditionally, only ripe fruits are kept in the kani.
Kaineettam is the highlight of the Vishu festival. The oldest member of the family would give kaineettam to all those younger to him. Then other elders in the family would follow suit. Kaineettam had to be given to everyone coming to the house on that day - friends, neighbors, servants, people working in the fields and even the newspaper boy. Gold nanayams (coins) were symbolically given as kaineettam after seeing the kani. These were taken back and coins would be given as kaineettam later on.
Crackers are what add zing to the Vishu celebrations. Crackers were burst in three stages - the night before Vishu, after the kani has been seen the next day, and following the elaborate lunch. For those in Thrissur and Palakkad districts in Kerala, Vishu is a three-day affair. Crackers are burst the morning before Vishu till late into the night. Local temples conduct Vishupooram. It is somewhat similar DEEPAVALI in Northern India. The difference is that Deepavali falls in November and VISHU in April. Dance and Kathakali recitals are held on the temple premises. Traders selling knick-knacks, bangles and toys make their appearance and children throng to them.
The sadya comprises rice made of newly-harvested grain, dishes such as erisseri, olan, aviyal, kaalan, thoran, puli inji, pacchadi,(the very delicious Kerala cuisines) and payasams such as paalada and ada pradhaman (the very tasty deserts of Kerala).
Vishu was not something you looked forward to each year, for a change, treat yourself to a Vishu that is traditional and worth remembering.
For a foreign Tourist who is interested to see India especially KERALA, the best time to visit is during VISHU period.
The festival is a time of prosperity. The arrangement of the Vishukkani the night before by the senior most woman member of the family, seeing the kani, the Vishukaineettam, and the feast that follows are what make this traditional festival special. The amount paid to kids as Vishukaineettam has increased by leaps and bounds over the years.
But the atmosphere associated with Vishu is to be found no more. As children, we eagerly waited to see the Vishukkani, but the children these days are not very enthusiastic about this tradition. Vishu is a festival to be celebrated with the entire family, and neighbors and friends too, but in the city, rarely does one get company from them.
The Vishukkani is something that most people was eloquent about. The traditional Vishukkani is a beautiful arrangement of kanikonna, flowers of Konna Tree that blossoms during Vishu period only in Kerala, and other flowers, fruits, vegetables, rice, pulses, coconut, betel leaves, areca nuts, gold jewelery, gold and silver coins, kasavu, mirror, bell metal lamps and vaalkannadi, all arranged in a bell metal vessel called uruli. Vishukkani would be brought to the households early in the morning, Almost all families in olden days used to own cows and the kani would be shown to them as well. While most people would see the Vishukkani at their homes, there are others who would first see the kani at the temple.
The bright yellow kanikonna flowers used in the Vishukkani here are not the traditional konna flowers, though they belong to the Cassia family. The actual kanikonna is found only in a couple of places in Thiruvananthapuram. Similarly, the red and yellow vellarikya (cucumber) that is a significant part of Vishukkani gives way to the green vellarikya . Traditionally, only ripe fruits are kept in the kani.
Kaineettam is the highlight of the Vishu festival. The oldest member of the family would give kaineettam to all those younger to him. Then other elders in the family would follow suit. Kaineettam had to be given to everyone coming to the house on that day - friends, neighbors, servants, people working in the fields and even the newspaper boy. Gold nanayams (coins) were symbolically given as kaineettam after seeing the kani. These were taken back and coins would be given as kaineettam later on.
Crackers are what add zing to the Vishu celebrations. Crackers were burst in three stages - the night before Vishu, after the kani has been seen the next day, and following the elaborate lunch. For those in Thrissur and Palakkad districts in Kerala, Vishu is a three-day affair. Crackers are burst the morning before Vishu till late into the night. Local temples conduct Vishupooram. It is somewhat similar DEEPAVALI in Northern India. The difference is that Deepavali falls in November and VISHU in April. Dance and Kathakali recitals are held on the temple premises. Traders selling knick-knacks, bangles and toys make their appearance and children throng to them.
The sadya comprises rice made of newly-harvested grain, dishes such as erisseri, olan, aviyal, kaalan, thoran, puli inji, pacchadi,(the very delicious Kerala cuisines) and payasams such as paalada and ada pradhaman (the very tasty deserts of Kerala).
Vishu was not something you looked forward to each year, for a change, treat yourself to a Vishu that is traditional and worth remembering.
For a foreign Tourist who is interested to see India especially KERALA, the best time to visit is during VISHU period.
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