Vishu 2018: Date, history and traditions of the Malayalam new year
Tuesday, April 17, 2018 IST
April 14 marks Vishu or the Malayali new year. Here’s how the festival is celebrated and some interesting traditions associated with this harvest festival.
Vishu marks the Malayalam new year and is celebrated with great fervour by Malayalis across Kerala, Karnataka and other parts of the country. Based on the Hindu calendar, Vishu is the first day of the first solar month of Medam. This year, the festival is being celebrated on April 14. The festival marks the spring equinox (marks beginning of spring) and celebrates an abundant harvest.
On Vishu, Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna are worshipped by Malayali Hindus. Celebrations start in the early hours of the day in temples such as Sabarimala Ayyappan temple and Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple. Friends and relatives gather to prepare delicacies for the festival.
It is believed the first thing that children see on the day should represent abundance. For this, the Vishukkan is prepared. Yellow flowers are gathered and placed along with money, silver and gold items, lemons, coconuts, a mirror, and rice and oil lamps and placed alongside an idol of Lord Krishna/Vishnu. Children are blindfolded and brought to the altar to see the decorations and start the new year on an auspicious note. People wear new clothes and burst firecrackers as well.
Traditionally, the eldest member of the family lights up the lamps and gathers each member, blindfolds them and takes them to the vishukanna. Kolams (drawings made using rice and flour) are also made in front of houses and on porches to mark the occasion. People meet and greet each other and enjoy a traditional feast.
Related Topics
Related News & Articles
These families residing in the old Lucknow localities have been celebrating the festival since the days of yore. Though the celebrations have become subdued over ...
Recently posted . 997 views . 2 min read
Trending News & Articles
Nanda Vrata is dedicated to Shiva and it is believed that Goddess Sati observed this vrat to get Shiva as her husband. It is observed during Phalgun Shukla Paksha...
Recently posted . 15K views . 3 min read
This question has seeked me ever since I can remember ...from my childhood..in my dreams...in my realisation and my internal assimilation of Lord Krishna as my god....
Recently posted . 7K views . 1 min read
Story of Sharabha and Narasimha
In Hinduism, the ‘trimurti’ (Gods) - Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, are...
Recently posted . 5K views . 1 min read
Have any of you realised how beneficial and helpful the lemon is when kept in a transparent glass of water, what it does? Here is the lemon ...
Recently posted . 5K views . 1 min read
More in Spiritual
Guru Tegh Bahadur(1621 to 1675)
Full Name : Tegh Bahadur
<...
Recently posted. 910 views . 6 min read
What is the importance of Ram Mandir for Jains?
Recently posted. 742 views . 0 min read
Ayyappa is the Hindu God worshipped in the famous Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple in Kerala. Story of Ayyappa is based on legends that are popular in South India. Legend ...
Recently posted. 2K views . 2 min read
Recently posted . 808 views
Recently posted . 886 views
Recently posted . 2K views
Recently posted . 1K views
Have any of you realised how beneficial and helpful the lemon is when kept in a transparent glass of water, what it does? Here is the lemon ...
Recently posted. 5K views . 1 min read
If we want to make progress upon earth, we must understand the methods, mechanism and intentions of Nature and live accordingly in harmony with it rather than again...
Recently posted. 768 views . 2 min read