|
Vishu is the first day in the first
Malayalam month of Medam (March –
April). The traditional rituals followed
in the festival is believed to usher
in another year of prosperity for
the Keralites. The Malayalees make
elaborate preparations for this day
to ensure that the year ahead will
be a fruitful one by following the
custom of seeing the Vishukani (auspicious
sight) early in the morning. This
festival shares the spirit that can
be observed in all the festivals of
spring – the spirit of hope and
expectations that a new dawn brings
with it.The people of kerala celebrate
this festival in a traditional manner.
They follow the custom of viewing
the Vishukani( the lucky sight) in
the morning of the festival. The vishukani
is later taken and distributed among
the poor people.
The people buy new clothes (kodi
vastram) for the occasion and the
elders of the family distribute tokens
of money to the children, servants
and tenants. These tokens are called
the vishukaineetam and are usually
in form of coins. People carry on
this custombelieving that in this
way, their children will be blessed
with prosperity in future.
The families then celebrate the day
with joyous abandon by bursting fire
crackers after the vishukani. While
the men and the children engage in
bursting crackers, the women start
cooking a variety of delicacies for
the day's lunch. The feast or the
'sadya' 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, pumkins, a variety of gourds,
and coconuts.
The young people of the village go
from house to house, dancing and collecting
money. They usually do this in groups
dressed up as the ' chozhi' with dried
banana leaves tied around their waists
and masks on their faces. On this
day, the people give money to them
willingly.
By the evening they have enough money
to spend in the Vishuwela (the new
year fair). The evenings are spent
in these fairs where there is a lot
of revelry, with music and various
dance troupes.
The famous temples like Guruvayur,
Sabarimala and Padmanaba Shetram are
filled with devotees. Special pujas
are held in these temples where the
people go to worship and pray for
a prosperous New Year. They also view
the Vishukanis that are prepared in
each of these temples.
Send
Vishu Cards
|
