147.188.245.182: /* Vishu Sadhya */ Non-Veg is not eaten in this Hindu festival. Probably for Onam,yes, but for Vishu, a hindu religious festival, no.

2021-08-20T11:03:19Z

Vishu Sadhya: Non-Veg is not eaten in this Hindu festival. Probably for Onam,yes, but for Vishu, a hindu religious festival, no.

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{{short description|Indian festival}}
{{see also|Indian New Year's days}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox holiday
|holiday_name = Vishu
|type = Keralite
|longtype = Religious, cultural, seasonal
|image =Vishu Kani foods.jpg
|caption = A traditional ''Vishu kani'' setting with auspicious items.
|official_name = Vishu
|observedby = [[Malayalees]]
|date = First day of the month of ''Meṭam'' ([[Aries (constellation)|Aries]]) in the [[Malayalam calendar]]
|duration = 1 day
|begins = 4:00am [[Brahmamuhurtha]]
|ends = end of the day
|date2017 = Fri, 14 April
|date2018 = Sun, 15 April
|date2019 = Mon, 15 April
|date2020 = Tue, 14 April
|observances = ''Kani'', ''Kaineetam'', ''Kanji'', ''Kani konna'', Optionally ''Padakkam'' (firecrackers)
|relatedto = [[South and Southeast Asian solar New Year]]
|alt=|nickname=|litcolor=|significance=|celebrations=|weekday=|month=|scheduling=|frequency=|firsttime=|startedby=|date2021=Wed, 14 April}}
{{hinduism_small}}
'''Vishu''' (Malayalam: വിഷു, Tulu: '' Bisu'') is a Hindu festival celebrated in the Indian state of [[Kerala]], [[Tulu Nadu]] region in [[Karnataka]], [[Mahé district]] of Union Territory of Pondicherry, neighbouring areas of [[Tamil Nadu]] and their diaspora communities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mahe.gov.in/culture-heritage/|title=Culture Heritage|access-date=14 April 2020}} - {{Cite news|url=http://www.mangaloretoday.com/main/Wish-you-all-a-Very-Happy-VISHU-and-a-Prosperous-New-Year.html|title=Wish you all a Very Happy VISHU and a Prosperous New Year|access-date=10 April 2020}} - {{cite book|first=William D.|last=Crump|title=Encyclopedia of New Year's Holidays Worldwide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cDTfCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA116| year=2014|publisher= McFarland|isbn= 978-0-7864-9545-0|page=116}} - {{cite book|first=Roshen|last=Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&pg=PA135 |year=2010|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|pages=135–137}} - {{cite book|first=Christian|last=Roy|title=Traditional Festivals: A Multicultural Encyclopedia |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=IKqOUfqt4cIC&pg=PA479 |year=2005|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-57607-089-5|pages =479–481}}</ref> The festival marks the first day of Medam, the ninth month in the solar calendar followed in Kerala.<ref name=vishugok>[https://kerala.gov.in/major-festivals Major festivals of Kerala], Government of Kerala (2016)</ref> It therefore always falls in the middle of April in the [[Gregorian calendar]] on 14 or 15 April every year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kerala.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3700&Itemid=2753 |title=Major festivals - Vishu |publisher=Government of Kerala |access-date=2013-09-17}} - {{Cite book|publisher=Anthropological Survey of India|first=Kumar Suresh|last=Singh|title=People of India, Volume 27, Part 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fRQwAQAAIAAJ|page=479|year=2002|isbn=978-81-85938-99-8}} - {{cite book|first=J. Gordon|last=Melton|title=Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lD_2J7W_2hQC&pg=PA633 |year=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-59884-206-7|page=633}} - {{cite web |url=http://aghr.cag.gov.in/holidays.pdf |title=2017 Official Central Government Holiday Calendar |access-date=4 March 2017 |publisher = Government of India}}</ref>

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, Malayalees seek to view the golden blossoms of the Indian laburnum (''Kani Konna''), money or silver items, cloth (pattu), mirror, rice and other harvest products.<ref name=vishugok/><ref name="Jagannathan2005p76">{{cite book|last=Jagannathan|first=Maithily|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xcIrkKUJH9QC|title=South Indian State Festivals and Traditions|publisher=Abhinav Publications|year=2005|isbn=978-81-7017-415-8|pages=76–77}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/when-the-laburnum-blooms/article1696077.ece |title=When the Laburnum blooms |work=The Hindu |date=2011-04-14 |access-date=2013-09-27}}</ref> The day also attracts firework play by children,<ref name=vishugok/><ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/city-celebrates-vishu/article399057.ece |title=City celebrates Vishu |work=The Hindu |date=2010-04-16 |access-date=2013-09-27}}</ref> wearing new clothes (''Koti'') and the eating a feast called ''[[Sadhya]]''.<ref name=":3" /> In ''Kaineettam'', elders give a small amount of pocket money to children.

The Vishu arrangement typically includes an image of [[Krishna]]. People also visit temples like [[Sabarimala]] [[Ayyappa]]n Temple or [[Guruvayur Temple|Guruvayur Sree Krishna]] Temple or [[Kulathupuzha Sastha Temple|Kulathupuzha Sree BaalaShastha]] Temple to have a 'Vishukkani Kazhcha' (viewing) in the early hours of the day.<ref name="Dalal2010p461">{{cite book|first=Roshen |last=Dalal|title=indianism: An Alphabetical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&pg=PA461|year=2010|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|page=461}}</ref>

==Etymology and origin==
''Vishu'', from Sanskrit-Malayalam ''Viṣuvam'', literally means 'equal',<ref>http://spokensanskrit.org/index.php?mode=3&script=hk&tran_input=%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B5&direct=au&anz=100</ref> and it connoted to the celebration of [[March equinox|spring equinox]] in the past.<ref name=vishugok/> The spring equinox however occurs 24 days before the day of Vishu, on 21 March/[[Malayalam calendar|Meenam ]] 7, due to [[precession of equinoxes]].

==Religious significance==
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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/vishu-2017-april-14-kerala-festival-history-legends-practices-971219-2017-04-13|title=Vishu 2017: History, legends, practices and all you need to know|access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref>

The Vishu has been celebrated in Kerala from the reign of Sthanu Ravi since 844 AD .<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/vishu-2017-april-14-kerala-festival-history-legends-practices-971219-2017-04-13|title=Vishu 2017: History, legends, practices and all you need to know|access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref>

==Practices==
===Vishukkani===
{{multiple image
| align = left
| image1 = A TraditionalVishu Event - Vishukkani.jpg
| width1 = 170
| alt1 =
| caption1 = Vishu Kani in Kerala
| image2 = Bisu Kani in Tulunadu Coastal Karnataka (20).jpg
| width2 = 170
| alt2 =
| caption2 = Vishu Kani in Tulunadu Coastal Karnataka
}}
The Malayalam word "kani" literally means "that which is seen first", so "Vishukkani" means "that which is seen first on Vishu". The traditional belief is that one's future is a function of what one experiences, that the new year will be better if one views auspicious joyful things as the first thing on Vishu. Therefore, Malayali's spend the day before preparing a setting, usually a tray, of auspicious items. This setting is the first thing they see when they wake up on the Vishu day.<ref name="Jagannathan2005p76"/><ref name="Dalal2010p461"/>

The Vishukkani setting consists of items such as<ref name=":3" /> [[rice]], golden [[lemon]], golden [[cucumber]], [[coconut]] cut open, jack fruit, [[Kajal|Kanmashi]], [[betel]] leaves, [[arecanut]], [[Aranmula kannadi]] (''Vaalkannadi''), golden colour ''Konna'' flowers (''[[Cassia fistula]]'') which bloom in the season of Vishu, ''nilavilakku'', idol of Vishnu, and other auspicious items.<ref name="Jagannathan2005p76"/> Mirror in Vishukani is a symbol of seeing yourself as a part of abundance you see in the form of Kani.

The tradition is that elders light the lamps after waking up, then wakes up juniors in the family. As soon as you wake up, you walk to the kani eyes closed, and sees Kani as the first scene of the year.<ref name="Jagannathan2005p76"/><ref name="Dalal2010p461"/>

===Vishu Sadhya===
[[File:Vishu Sadya 2013 135212.jpg|thumb|Vishu Sadhya served in 2013.]]
The [[Sadhya]] (feast) is a major part of all Kerala festivals. However, special dishes called Vishu ''Kanji'', Thoran and ''Vishu katta''. The Kanji is made of rice, coconut milk and spices. Vishu katta is a delicacy prepared from freshly harvested rice powder and coconut milk served with jaggery.<ref name=":3" /> For Thoran, the side dish, there are also mandatory ingredients. Other important Vishu delicacies include ''Veppampoorasam'' (a bitter preparation of [[neem]]) and ''Mampazhappulissery'' (a sour or ripe [[mango]] soup)<ref name=":4">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/vishu-delicacies/article302986.ece |title=Vishu delicacies |work=The Hindu |date=2009-04-09 |access-date=2013-09-27}}</ref> Even temple offerings called ''bewu bella'', include a mix of sweet jaggery, bitter neem, and other flavors.<ref name="Jagannathan2005p76"/>

The mixing of sweet, salty, sour, bitter and astringent flavors for the new year Vishu meal is similar to the ''pacchadi'' food prepared on new year day such as [[Ugadi]] by Hindus in Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in the [[Indian subcontinent]]. These traditional festive recipes, that combine different flavors, are a symbolic reminder that one must expect all flavors of experiences in the coming new year, that no event or episode is wholly sweet or bitter, experiences are transitory and ephemeral, and to make the most from them.<ref name=narayanan18>{{cite journal | last=Narayanan | first=Vasudha | title=Y51K and Still Counting: Some Hindu Views of Time | journal=Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies | publisher=Butler University | volume=12 | issue=1 | year=1999| pages=17–18 | doi=10.7825/2164-6279.1205 | url=https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1205&context=jhcs | doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Padakkam===
[[File:Crackers vishu 2.jpg|thumb|Vishu Padakkam]]
The word 'Padakkam' in Malayalam means firecrackers.Firecrackers are burst during Vishu the same way north Indians burst firecrackers during Diwali.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/fyi/story/vishu-2017-april-14-kerala-festival-history-legends-practices-971219-2017-04-13&ved=2ahUKEwi6jJvf_9zoAhWZA3IKHU5rBOUQFjAPegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw0ZZ_8Po4sW0e306VO5QhEU&ampcf=1|title=Vishu 2017: History, legends, practices and all you need to know|access-date =10 April 2020}}</ref>
===Konna===
[[File:konnamaram.JPG|thumb|left|upright=0.8|(''[[Cassia fistula]]''), കണിക്കൊന്ന, Golden Shower Tree]]
Konna (''[[Cassia fistula]]''), commonly known as golden shower is the flower of the Vishu festival.

===Other customs===
[[File:Kampithiri.JPG|thumb|left|upright=0.8|A child playing with fireworks on Vishu]]
[[File:Uruli festive arrangement of flowers, Malayali Hindus in Kerala.jpg|thumb|Flower arrangement in Uruli during Vishu]]
The tradition of buying of new clothes for the occasion of Vishu is called '''''Puthukodi '''''or'' Vishukodi.'' There is also a popular tradition of elders giving money to younger ones or dependents of the family. This is called ''Vishukkaineetam''.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> Another tradition is of giving alms and contributing to community charity.<ref>{{cite book|first=Christian|last=Roy|title=Traditional Festivals: A Multicultural Encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IKqOUfqt4cIC&pg=PA479 |year=2005|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-57607-089-5|pages=479–480}}</ref> Children enjoy setting off firecrackers.<ref name=":3" />

===Pathamudayam===
Pathamudayam is Celebrates on the 10th day of Medam Month in Malayalam Era and 10th day after Vishu. According to the tradition, ‘Pathamudayam’ is the day when the sun is most powerful and astrological science support the believe.To symbolise the ten sunrises from Vishu, traditional oil lamps with 10 wicks are lit r every house.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2013/apr/24/pathamudayam-celebrated-470999.html | title=‘Pathamudayam’ celebrated | newspaper=The New Indian Express | date=24 April 2013 | accessdate=10 August 2021 }}</ref>

==Related holidays==
Vishu, which used to be the Kerala new year day, is celebrated elsewhere but called by other names. It is called [[Vaisakhi]] by Hindus and Sikhs in north and central India, which marks the solar new year, and Tamil New Year day called [[Puthandu]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Religion: Vaisakhi|author= Vishaal Lau|website=[[BBC]]|url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/holydays/vaisakhi.shtml |access-date=22 January 2012}} - Crump, William D. (2014), [https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=cDTfCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA114 Encyclopedia of New Year's Holidays Worldwide], MacFarland, page 114</ref><ref name="PechilisRaj2013p48">{{cite book|first1=Karen|last1=Pechilis|first2=Selva J.|last2=Raj|title= South Asian Religions: Tradition and Today|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=kaubzRxh-U0C&pg=PA48| year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-44851-2|pages=48–49}}</ref> The new year day on or next to 14 April every year, is also the new year for many Buddhist communities in parts of southeast Asia such as Myanmar and Cambodia, likely an influence of their shared culture in the 1st millennium CE.<ref name="PechilisRaj2013p48"/>

However, this is not the universal new year for all Hindus. For some, such as those in and near Gujarat, the new year festivities coincide with the five day [[Diwali]] festival. For many others, the new year falls on [[Ugadi]] and [[Gudi Padwa]], which falls a few weeks earlier.<ref name="PechilisRaj2013p48"/>

==See also==
{{Commons category|Vishu}}
* [[Indian New Year's days|Indian New Year]]
* [[Bisu Parba]]
* [[Gudhi Padwa]]
* [[Onam]]
* [[Bihu]]
* [[Vaisakhi]]
* [[Pohela Boishakh]]
* [[Tamil Puthandu]]
* [[Songkran]], a Buddhist New Year festival around 14 April, celebrated in [[Thailand]], [[Cambodia]], [[Laos]] etc.
* [[Ugadi]], New year of many people of Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Culture of Kerala |state=collapsed}}
{{New Year by Calendar}}

[[Category:Festivals in Kerala]]
[[Category:New Year in India]]
[[Category:April observances]]
[[Category:New Year celebrations]]

Vishu - Revision history

147.188.245.182: /* Vishu Sadhya */ Non-Veg is not eaten in this Hindu festival. Probably for Onam,yes, but for Vishu, a hindu religious festival, no.