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People of Kerala observe this New Year celebration day on the first day of Medam, which is a Malyalam month in the Malyali Kollam calendar. According to the western calendar, Medam is the month of April. Generally, Vishu falls on the 14th April every year. Generally, we are only aware that Vishu is the New Year festival of Kerala. But we should also know about Vishu’s traditions, Vishu’s celebrations and the historical background of Vishu.
Like the Hindu New Year festivity, Vishu is also celebrated in the same manner with great enthusiasm and joy but it is in no way a religious observance. Traditionally, people set the arrangement of Vishukkani. This is an auspicious display on a bell metal vessel known as uruli.This vessel consists of fresh linen, betel leaves, golden cucumber, raw rice,
arecanut, metal mirror, the yellow flowers—konna or cassia fistula,a holy text and coins.
It is their custom to place a lighted bell lamp in the vessel in order to remove the darkness and evil. In fact, the first activity of any Keralite is to see this Vishukkani on the day of Vishu. They believe that watching this auspicious and propitious uruli would bring good luck, wealth and prosperity in the coming year. While the sun plans to enter the New Year, people open their eyes to follow their age-old rites and rituals. Besides, as a part of customs, they give handsel or Vishu kaineettam to youngsters of their family on the day of Vishu.
All in all, Vishu is the day of great fun and enjoyment in Kerala. When the day begins, people perform ‘pujas’ and sweets to the gods. There is a mythological history of Vishu celebrations. Legend has it that Kollam era began from this day. According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that the sixth incarnation of Vishnu, Parshurama created Kerala by receding the waters of Arabian Sea.
Parashurama had vowed to eliminate the Kshatriya caste from the earth. In order to do so, he had a war with Rama, who was Kshatriya himself. During the battle he realized that Lord Rama was the seventh incarnation Lord Vishnu and finally he decided to spend the rest of his life in peace and meditation. In order to get a peaceful place, gods asked him to throw his battle-axe in the Arabian Sea and land would rise along the distance it covered. This is how Kerala was created.
offers you information about Vishu, the Kerala New Year. Keep flipping through the pages of the website for more information.
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