Never Too Late To Discuss Vishu

Vishu is one of the important festivals of Kerala. Usually Vishu is on April 14 every year synchronising with the 1st day of malayalam month Medam.

Main event of the day is "kani kaanal" before sunrise.. The night before, the senior most person / lady of the house sets the "kani" in an "uruli" or big plate, preferably a bell metal one. Two glasses of raw rice is spread inside the vessel. Blue or yellow silk cloth, ideally small child’s birth day (andu niraivu) pattu is spread on top of the rice.. In many houses white vasthram (alakkiya veshti) is kept instead of pattu.. A mirror is kept inside the uruli at the back ..A gold chain is put on the mirror.. Coconut halves (Thengai moodi) are kept on the cloth / pattu before the mirror.. Inside each thengai moodi a coin is kept..In two small flat cups or small dishes thuvar dhal and mochakkottai are kept after the coconut halves..Mochchakkot tai is sukran, who is the king of wealth.. In the back of the uruli a photo of Lord Guruvayurappan is kept.. Decorate photo of Lord Guruvayurappan with a gold chain or garland....Outside the uruli on one side keep all types of fruits like bunch of yellow plantain, full jack fruit (if available),mango fruits, grapes etc..In some families citrus fruits like oranges, musumbis and lime(cherunaranga) are kept.. On the other side of uruli keep vegetables like yellow vellari pazham, Koththu mangai, padavalam (straight & full and should be without twists)..In a plate keep thamboolam – vettila, pakku, vibhoothi, kumkumam, chandanam etc.. Kani poovu - konna flower- are kept in bunch.. In a plate keep all types of coins.. In a plate (silver if available) keep gold coins, silver coins, pearl (muththu), coral (pavizham) etc.. Keep the puthuppanams in the center of the plate.. Puthuppanam is the small coins (two in numbers) given in marriage at the time of kanya dhaanam.. We are supposed to preserve the puthuppanam for life long and are to be seen in the vishu kani every year..
Red coloured cloth, flowers and fruits are not to be kept in Kani. Avoid black coloured items as well.. Also bitter and sour fruits and vegetables are to be avoided like bitter gourd, etc.. Keep agarbathis ready in its stand.. Lamps are arranged by putting wicks and oil, ready to be lighted by the head if family in the early morning.. Keep camphor (Karpooram) ready for aarthi..

On Vishu day the senior most person sees the "kani" first, and then lights the lamps and agarbathis.. A palakai, for sitting, is kept in front of the kani..Water is kept in a glass near the palakai, to touch our eyes with water before opening our eyes in front of the kani.. The elderly person brings the juniors with their eyes closed till they reach the "kani".. The head of the family helps the youngsters to sit right in front of the kani and helps them to touch their closed eyes with the water kept in glass..
After the juniors have seen the "kani, the elders give them coins as "kaineettam" ..
Later on there will be firecrackers and of course the inevitable sadya with valiya pappadam, cheriya pappadam, payasam etc. In many Kerala Iyer houses seven vegetables are cut and used in curries on this Mesha varsha pirappu day.. Also Thair (curd) pachchadi is prepared with veppampoovu (neem flower).
It is believed that the "kani" seen will bring good tidings throughout the year. "Kani" in the temples at Guruvayoor, Amblapuzha, Sabarimala are famous and many throng at these temples to have the first darsan of the kani kept in front of the lord.



Items kept in Kani : (Typical Kerala Iyer custom)
Uruli or Thambalam
Raw rice – 2 glasses of rice spread as a bottom layer in the uruli.
Pattu – Silk pattu or whits alakkiya veshti (blue, white or yellow preferred),on top of rice.
Mirror - Inside uruli,at the back.
Gold Chain - Put a gold chain on the mirror.
Coconut halves- Thengai moodi keep inside the uruli– keep a coin inside each moodi. Cereals – Just in front of coconut keep Thuvara parippu and Mochcha kottai – sukran- in two small dishes.
Guruvayurappan - In the front of the uruli or at the back, keep Guruvayurappan’s Photo-garlanded with jasmine flowers and gold chain.
Fruits – In plates keep yellow plantain, grapes, mangoes, full jack fruit if available.
Vegetables – Vellari Pazham(yellow) , Padavalam in good shape (not twisted),
and koththu mangai.
Thamboolam – In a plate keep vettilai, Pakku, vibhuthi, Kumkumam.
Coins – In a silver plate keep all types of coins.
Puthuppanam – In a silver plate keep puthuppanams and all silver and gold coins of Gods.
Kani poovu – Keep bunch of Kani poovu. Put a garland of jasmine over
over the items.
Lamp – Light the lamp (Silver lamp if available) and agarbathi.
Camphor – Karpooram for karpoora aratthi after all members of the family have seen the kani.

Water – Keep water in a glass. All household members reach the kani, keeping their eyes closed, they sit in front of kani, touch their eyes with water from the glass and then open their eyes to see the kani.

Keep the kani for 2 - 3 hrs approximately. After all people have seen the kani, move a few inches towards North side and then it can be removed..


Equinox or Vishu


Equinox means equal night. It is the day when day and night
are equal. In Sanskrit it is called Vishu. In the apparent motion of the sun from south to north i.e. uttarayanam this occurs when sun enters Mesha rasi. It is called Mesha Vishu. In the apparent motion of the sun from north to south i.e. Dakshinayanam it occurs when the sun enters Tula rasi. It is called Tula Vishu.

As per the solar calendar the New Year starts on Mesha Vishu.In Kerala this is called Vishu when at the dawn of the New Year people view auspicious objects and is called kani. In Tamilnad, this is the New Year Day. The new year starts with Chaitra month. In North India, places where the Solar calendar is followed like Punjab and Bengal the new year starts from the same day but the first month is called Baishakhi.

According to the traditional almanac April 14 happens to be the Vishu day or first day of the year. But the actual equinox or Mesha Vishu takes place or March 23. One can notice the day of equal day and night on that day. This is because our almanac makers have not been taking into account the precession of the equinoxes of about 50 and 1/3 minutes that is taking place every year. This means
that we are observing Vishu and the New Year day on the wrong dates.

To rectify this anomaly the Government of India appointed the Calendar Reforms Committee under the chairmaship of Dr. Meghnath Saha. This Committee recommended that
the New Year should take place on March 23 instead of April 14.

In all traditional almanacs these new years and dates are also indicated.

From a religious point of view, we are supposed to do Tharpanam on the day of the Vishu. If we do it on the wrong day are we reaping any benefits. This applies to Mesha Vishu, Thula Vishu, Uttarayana Punyakalam
(Makara Samkramam) and Daskhinayana Punyakalam (Karkataka Sankramam).

Hi Mam,

Got to know more about Vishu and the do's and dont's..Thanks for sharing.

Lots of things which never knew. Thanx for sharing

Dear sunkan
Thanks to know more about Vishu.............
One of my malay friend had called me for dinner that day......
I had read hear about Vishu...............I was feeling happy that I know more then her about Vishu
Thanks goes to this wonderful site and all the ladies like you who give us all the information about a particular festivals and share the importance of it.