Like every Keralite, Vishu is special to me too - something connecting me to old days of celebrations and prosperity. When I am remembering my past Vishu celebrations to write something, my childhood days just flashed through my mind in a fraction of seconds. So, let me say a few words about my childhood Vishu memories.

A 50 paise or 1 rupee coin and my mother’s Vishukani preparations are the most memorable things of my childhood days. She used to prepare Kani every year and wake up me and my younger brother to see decorated Krishna in the early mornings. Then we two compete to get coin from her hands. We used to receive coins from our neighbours and relatives too, that we used to keep with ourselves for a long time. Since it’s vacation time, we were in full celebration mode. Let me come back.
After marriage, for the last 6 years we are away from our home town. So, obviously it’s my duty to prepare Vishu kani for my family which I am doing for the past few years. We are 3 – me, my husband and our daughter of 5 years. Let me tell you how we celebrated Vishu last year.

Tulsi garland for Kannan

I know well, Krishna loves tulsi a lot. Tulsi is abundant in our courtyard. So, in the evening I collected all tulsi leaves from those plants and made a nice ‘Thulsi haaram’ for him. I was thinking about him only while I was making the garland, felt immense pleasure too as I was doing such a thing for the first time in my life. Usually I buy a garland from outside.

Our Vishu purchases

Last year as usual, Vishu was celebrated on April 14. It’s Medam 1st in Malayalam calendar and new year in Tamil calendar. We made two purchases – one for our vegetarian meal known as Sadya and other for Vishu kani. Let me tell you about our kani preparations. In the evening just one day before, we went out for a purchase. Celebrations had already started in the town with crackers and shoutings. So, we too purchased some crackers for our daughter. Then we stepped into the main town. Big crowd everywhere. We went to a garland shop to purchase some jasmine and nerium. Then we went to a fruit market and bought apples, oranges, mangoes, bananas and a few more fruits. But we couldn’t get a pine apple. Then I checked my list to confirm if I missed anything. Then we entered a vegetable shop to buy pumpkin and green mangoes. Again I missed two most important things – cucumber and jack fruit. Yet thought, we can adjust with what we get. We bought a new Kerala dhoti also. We returned home a little late. 

Getting Kanikonna is the biggest task

It’s very difficult to get ‘Konnapoo’ (casina) for vishu celebrations. During season, we can see cassia flowers everywhere. But just a day before Vishu, more than 90% of those flowers disappear from the trees. So, if we don’t have a cassia tree at our home, we need to search outside from some friends’ home or buy at high rate from flower market. Nowadays instant kit of ‘Vishukani’ items is available ready in the market.  It will contain a few raw mangoes, cucumber, a few jasmines, one apple or orange and a few cassia flowers. If you want to make a simple Vishukani, you can choose an instant kit. Before 1 month itself, we arranged our cassia flowers at a friend’s home and we got it one day before Vishu. So, our main problem was solved. Next day, flowers will dry a little. Yet, it’s a pleasant scene to watch Krishna smiling along with tired cassia flowers.

My kaniorukkal at late night

I waited till all went to sleep, had a bath and went upstairs with offerings for Krishna. I knew I missed some important things. Yet, I felt happy for preparing garland with my own hands. At first I began to decorate Krishna with flowers. We bought a marigold garland too. So, I decorated Krishna with two garlands and a few cassia flowers. We don’t have Krishna’s idol. So, I had to satisfy with Krishna’s photo. Then I placed my brass container, ‘uruli’ before him and arranged all vegetables and fruits in such a way that all fruits are visible. Then I took our mirror and placed it near Krishna. Then I placed ‘kodi’ dhoti, a few gold ornaments, coins, currency notes and a few cassia fruits before the mirror. It took almost 1 hour and my work was almost completed. Then I took my sindoor bottle and placed it near him. Before I left, I lit the lamp and placed coconut halves too filled with some cassia flowers. When I left the pooja room, it was already 12pm.

Our Vishukani

I wake up early in the morning, around 5 and as soon as I wake up, praying Krishna in my mind, closed my eyes. Then slowly I went upstairs. It’s a bit difficult to go through the steps with eyes closed. When I entered the pooja room, I could feel the sweet aroma spread all around – of flowers, perfumes and fruits. I opened my eyes in front of Krishna and in a quick glance, my eyes went through everything. I saw my face reflected in the mirror and prayed for the happiness of my family and everyone I love. Then I lit agarbathi and pierced them in banana, burned a little camphor and left the room.
Next I brought my husband up to the pooja room, carrying my daughter in hand. We three together had a prosperous Vishu kani. He took a few notes from the offerings and gave it to my child as Vishu kaineettam. I kissed her cheek – it was my gift for her. Earlier, when she was a small kid, she used to ask me fruits to eat. But now she is grown up. After spending a little time there, we returned downstairs.

Preparations for Vishu sadya

Earlier itself, we had decided to have a simple Sadya of 5 side dishes and 3 curries. So, very less kitchen works for me. I made a curd mango, a cabbage thoran, pachadi, avail, daal, sambar, pulissery, curd milk, a payasam and pappad. It was so simple, yet we enjoyed it a lot.

Evening with crackers

In the evening, we celebrated Vishu with crackers inviting kids of neighbourhood too. As my father is doing fireworks business, I am not at all interested in crackers from childhood. Yet, I could see that enjoyment in my daughter’s eyes.

A few words about Vishu

As Onam, Vishu is also a harvest festival. But Vishnu is worshipped as a part of its celebrations. Most significant is Vishukani – an offering of fruits, vegetables and flowers to Lord Krishna and seeing him decorated in the early Vishu morning. Elders give gifts to young ones, most significant is coins. Then a vegetarian meal is prepared with some special Vishu dishes and later in the evening, a lot of cheers with crackers. This festival gives the message of unity and prosperity and celebrating the event with offerings from our own fields.