വിഷു
 Vishu Festival is the astrological new year of Malayalees in Kerala. It is one of the most celebrated festival among the Malayalees that comes at the Malayalam month of Medam, usually April 14 or 15th. The main event in Vishu is Vishu Kanni, Vishukaineetam and Vishu Kazhcha in Temples.
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In Kerala, the start of the Zodiac New Year*—when the sun enters into Sidereal Aries, Ashwini nakshatra—is celebrated as Vishu. It is said that what one sees when one first opens one's eyes on Vishu morning is an indication of what one can expect in the year to come. Thus on Vishu, effort is made to assure one opens one's eyes before an auspicious image—the Vishukkani.
While the festival is called "Vishu" only in Kerala, across India festivals sharing the same spirit—such as Ugadhi in Andhra Pradesh and in Karnataka, Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, Bihu in Assam and Baisakhi in Punjab—are celebrated around the same time of year.
The Malayalam word kani literally means "that which is seen first," so "Vishukkani" means "that which is seen first on Vishu."
Arranged in the family puja room the night before by the mother in the family, the Vishukkani is a panorama of auspicious items, including images of Lord Vishnu, flowers, fruits and vegetables, clothes and gold coins.
Lord Vishnu, the preserver of creation, is the aspect of the Paramatman that is focused upon during Vishu. In jyotish, Indian astrology, Vishnu is seen as the head of Kaala Purusha, the God of Time. As Vishu marks the first day of the Zodiac New Year, it is an appropriate time to offer oblations to Lord Vishnu.

 

Vishu Festival 2012 in Kerala

 Vishu Festival is an important festival celebrated in Kerala, South India. Vishu is the new year festival of Kerala, and is observed on the 1st day of the Malayalam month of Medam (usually April 14th or 15th every year). Malayalis celebrate Vishu as the astronomical or zodiac New Year in Kerala. In 2012, Vishu festival is on 14th April 2012, Saturday.

 

Vishukkani or Vishu Kani

Vishukkani is the most important event in Vishu. Vishu Kani literally means “the first thing to be seen on Vishu day”. Visnukani is a traditional ritual of arranging several auspicious things to be seen on the Vishu day in the early morning. Some of the important things which are arranged include an idol of Lord Krishna, nilavilakku, Kanikonna flowers (Cassia fistula), raw rice, golden cucumber, betel leaves, arecanut, metal mirror, coins, and coconut. The custom is that every member of the family has to wake up at dawn and go the puja room or the place where Vishukkani is arranged and open the eyes and see the Vishu Kani as th first sight for a better year ahead.   

Vishu Kaineetam

Vishukaineetam is a ritual of giving money (earlier it was gold and silver coins) by elder members of the family to children, tenants and servants.
 

Vishu Festival in Kerala Temples

The famous temples in Kerala – Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple, Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple, Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple, Puthuparamb Sree Bhagavathy Temple,Thalavady will arrange "Vishukkani Kazhcha" on the early hours of "Vishu" day for devotees. There will be a heavy rush by thousands of devotees to have a Vishukkani Kazhcha of their favourite gods. Though all temples in Kerala celebrate Vishu festival, Vishukkani in temples dedicated to Lord Krishna and Lord Vishnu are of more importance.
 

New Year Festivals in other Indian States

Vishu is similar to the New Year festivals of other states in India - Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Bisu in Tulu Nadu region in Karnataka, Naba Barsha in Bengal, Bihu in Assam, Baisakhi in Punjab, and Vishuva Sankranti in Orissa.

HISTORY OF VISHU

HISTORY OF VISHU , Malayalees celebrated Vishu with lot of joy and mirth

HISTORY OF VISHU

Vishu is a new year festival celebrated in the state of Kerala, India. It is similar to the New Year festivals observed elsewhere in India like Baisakhi(Punjab), Bihu(Assam), Naba Barsha(Bengal), Bisu (Tulu Nadu region in Karnataka) and Puthandu(Tamil Nadu). Vishu generally falls on April 14 of the Gregorian calendar. This occasion signifies the Sun’s transit to the zodiac – Mesha Raasi (first zodiac sign) as per Indian astrological calculations and astronomically represents the vernal equinox. “Vishu” in Sanskrit means “equal”. Therefore Vishu is more probably denoting one of the equinox days. Although Vishu (first of Medam) is the astrological new year day of Kerala, the official Malayalam new year falls on the first month of Chingam (August – September). However, 1st of Chingam has no significance either astrologically or astronomically. Chingam is the harvest season in Kerala and southern parts of coastal Karnataka.
Rituals and Traditions

Most important ritual of the day is called 'Kani Kanal', the literal translation of this is 'first sight'. In Kani Kanal there is a prescribed list of items, which a person must see first thing on a Vishu morning to bring good luck. This include a cadjan leaf book, gold ornaments, fresh white cloth, a measure of rice or paddy, flowers of the Konna tree (Cussia fistula), halved jack fruits, halved coconuts and yellow cucumber. All these things are kept in a big pot and behind this pot is kept the bell metal mirror and a garlanded deity of Lord Krishna. Two standing oil lamps are also placed before the deity.

Vishu Traditions and Customs

Traditional people of Kerala celebrated Vishu with lot of joy and mirth. One very interesting custom of Vishu is Vishukani or Kani Kanal (first sight). Under this tradition there is a prescribed list of items that people see first thing on a Vishu morning. The custom stems from the strong belief of the people of Kerala that good things seen on the New Year day brings good luck for the entire year. Ladies of the house make preparation for Vishukani on a previous night. They would keep prescribed items including a cadjan leaf book, gold ornaments, fresh white cloth, a measure of rice or paddy, flowers of the Konna tree (Cussia fistula), halved jack fruits, halved coconuts and yellow cucumber in a big pot. Behind this pot is kept the bell metal mirror and a garlanded deity of Lord Krishna. Two standing oil lamps are also placed before the deity. Master of the house is the first person to take a look at auspicious things. Children are brought blind folded from their rooms to watch Vishukani. Many people in Kerala prefer to perform Vishukani in temples. Vishukani is offered to Gods and is later distributed amongst poor and needy.


Children are given gifts or small amount of cash on the Vishu Day in a belief that it ensures prosperity for children. This tradition is called Vishu Kaineetam.

Vishu Celebrations

To celebrate the auspicious festival of Pooram Vishu people of Kerala wear kodi vastram (new clothes). People sing, dance and make merry. Patassu (firecrackers) are also burst to mark the New Year day. Another attractive feature of the festival is the grand sadya (feast) prepared by the ladies of the house.

Special dishes are prepared using jackfruits, mangoes, pumpkins and gourd besides other seasonal vegetables and fruits. Characteristic feature of a Vishu meal is that the food items consist of roughly equal proportions of salty, sweet, sour and bitter items. Popular feast dishes include ‘Veppampoorasam' (a bitter preparation of neem) and ‘Mampazhapachadi' (a sour mango soup).

In villages of Kerala, young men and women dress up as the 'chozhi' by wearing a skirt of dried banana leaves and masks on their faces. These entertainers would then move from house to house and collect reward for their performances. The money collected by them is spent in Vishuwela or the New Year Fairs.

  BY VAKKOMSEN

Sources:http://vakkomsen.blogspot.in/2011/04/history-of-vishu-malayalees-celebrated.html

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