K.A.Viswanathan
Mumbai: Vishu, one of the most important festivals of Kerala, also Kerala New year, is celebrated all over the country where Keralite live. Vishu falls on the first day of the Malayalam month of Medam on April 14/15. A festival of gaiety and renewal, this day is celebrated with great fun in Kerala and other parts of the country.
The main ritual on this day is ‘Vishukkani’. People make it a point to see all the auspicious things as soon as they wake up. On the previous night of Vishu, fresh agricultural products such as rice, paddy, cucumber, jack fruit, arecanut, coconut and ripe plantains are aesthetically decorated and placed at the feet of Lord Krishna. A big mirror is also kept at the back of this decoration for reflection. The little yellow flowers called Konna Poovu are considered a must in this assemblage which is looked upon as the symbol of prosperity. This is called ‘Vishukani’.
There is a belief that to catch a glimpse of the reflection of these signs of prosperity in the mirror at the crack of dawn, would bring prosperity to the individual. The morning of the Vishu one of the members of the house, usually the eldest female member lights the lamp and looks at 'Kani'. She wakes up other members, one after another and the 'Kani' is shown to every one of them, taking particular care not to allow anyone to look by chance at other things. Older members of the family give ‘Kaineettam’, a token amount of money, to the youngsters, as part of the celebrations. People carry on this custom believing that in this way, their children will be blessed with prosperity in future. Later they visit temples wearing new clothes and pray for a prosperous new year.
While the men and the children engage in bursting crackers, women start cooking a variety of delicacies for the day`s lunch. The feast is prepared by the women of the household and the whole family sits down to enjoy the Vishu lunch together. The dishes prepared from the vegetables and fruits that are abundant in the season like jackfruits, mangoes, pumpkins, coconuts and of course Pal payasam (keer).
In Mumbai, the festival is celebrated in most of the temples where preferably the idol of Lord Krishna is kept. At the Kochu Guruvayoorappan temple, also called Asthika Samaj at Matunga in central Mumbai, Keralites from most part of the City visit, men wearing Mundu and females wearing Zaried off white saree called ‘Pamundu’.They stand in queue from early morning for darshan to see the ‘Vishukani’ and also the glimpses of Lord Guruvayoorappan.
