Vishu Kani 2025

What is Vishu Kani?

The festival of Vishu Kani is an important festival of Kerala, where it receives a lot of significance. It is also celebrated in the places of Mangalore and Tulu Nadu, and coastal regions of Kanyakumari. The festival is celebrated based on the solar cycle and is commemorated on the first day of Medam month of Kerala’s calendar, which corresponds to the month of April according to the Gregorian calendar. This is generally celebrated on 14th April every year.

The significance of Vishu Kani

The festival Vishu means equal according to Sanskrit, which is derived from Vishuva. According to the tradition, it signifies the sun's transit into the Meda Raasi. It is believed that, whatever is started with great piety, will always have a good end. Similarly, when the new year is started with a lot of blessings, it is believed that the full year will be very prosperous. It is understood that the mind power is the truth, which helps a man to realize beyond the comprehension of the divine. Thus, on the day of Vishu, a lot of fruits, flowers, precious stones, and other ornaments are kept in the prayer room. They place the mirror, on which a person looks in it, which is considered to be a positive sign.

Steps to set up Vishu Kani

It is important to have a good brass lamp, which is filled with oil, and four or five wicks are placed on the lamp. A clean brass vessel is selected, and all the fruits are arranged. The rice or paddy is spread inside the vessel, along with fruits. Another vessel is kept, where it is filled with cucumber. A beautiful gold chain is adorned on the mirror and is arranged to face all the nice spread of delicacies.

A new idol of Lord Krishna is placed in the Puja room, and a new dress, books, gold coin all are kept in the room. Coconut, which is split into half is kept in the Puja room, along with betel leaves, and nuts. The flowers of Kani Konna, which is bright yellow in color, is an integral part of the festival, where every household would nicely arrange it. Thus it is believed that the Lord himself will come and bless the household.

Rituals of Vishu Kani

The joyous festival of Vishu Kani heralds the arrival new year for all the Malayalis, who live across the globe. The preparations for Vishu Kani start a week before, where people get ready to clean the house and be prepared to welcome the prosperous new year. New clothes, gifts, and special gifts have always been a part of the celebrations, where the elders bless the entire family.

Sadhya or a feast is cooked, where the entire family eats together. Food is a very important aspect of the celebration, where various food items like Payasam, Pachidi, Sweets, Vegetables, lentil gravies, and wafers made of potato, varieties or rice are made as a part of their feast. Neem leaf, jaggery, raw mango is an important ingredient of the cooking, which signifies five different tastes. It is very important to include all five tastes like sweet, sour, bitter, savory, and salty. A plethora of dishes is cooked and presented as an offering to Gods. The feast is then enjoyed with the family members, served on a plantain leaf. Visiting temples is also an important part of the celebration. Thus the start of the year would be filled with prosperity and happiness.

Benefits of celebrating Vishu Kani New Year

• It is the beginning of new things in life. It gives a fresh start to everything in life.
• It is celebrated with the family, which brings great happiness for the entire family.
• It is a special festival to spread prosperity, and with great health, wealth happiness to the entire community.
• While celebrating Vishu Kani along with the entire community, it brings solidarity. There is a feeling of unity and oneness, where all the differences across the people are neglected.