Vishu

Vishu (Malayalam: വിഷു) is a cultural festival celebrating the Malayali New Year in Kerala, Tulu Nadu, and Mahe of India. Vishu falls on the first day of the month of Medam in the Malayalam Calendar (April 14 or 15 in the Gregorian calendar). It is the traditional new year, while the Kollam era calendar new year falls on the 1st Chingham. The festival is marked by family time, preparing colourful auspicious items and viewing these as the first thing on the Vishu day (Vishukkani). In particular, Malayalis seek to view the golden blossoms of the Indian laburnum (Kani Konna), money or silver items, cloth (pattu), mirror, rice, coconut, cucumber, fruits and other harvest products. Days before Vishu, people start bursting fireworks at their houses and it concludes with lot of fireworks on day of Vishu.People wear new clothes (Koti) and they eat a feast called Sadhya. In Kaineettam, elders give a small amount of pocket money to children. Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar Vishu, from Sanskrit Viṣuvam, literally means 'equal', and it connoted to the celebration of spring equinox in the past. The spring equinox however occurs 24 days before the day of Vishu, on 21 March/Meenam 7, due to precession of equinoxes. The Vishu marks the first day of the astronomical year and hence Lord Vishnu and his incarnation Lord Krishna are worshipped on the day of Vishu, as Lord Vishnu is considered as the God of Time. It was on this day that Lord Krishna killed the demon Narakasura and because of this Krishna idols are kept in the Vishu kani. The current Vishu year is 01-01-5124 Vishu Vasrhsam (same year as Kali Yuga, as of April 15, 2022). Records that Vishu has been celebrated in Kerala occurred from the reign of Sthanu Ravi since 844 CE, when the new era calendar (Kolla Varsham) was initiated replacing the older calendar with 13 months in a year. The Malayalam word "kani" literally means "that which is seen first", so "Vishukkani" means "that which is seen first on Vishu".