How to prepare Vishu Kani for vishu festival?
Vishu is the Hindu festival of lights and fireworks in the Indian state of Kerala. It signifies the Malayalam New Year, and the day of the Vishu is considered as the first day of the Zodiac calendar.In Kerala, the auspicious day commences with the Vishukanni. ‘Kanni’ in Malayalam means ‘a thing seen first’, and since Vishu morning is believed to represent a year’s progress, efforts are taken to assure that one wakes up to an auspicious picture.
While in Kerala the day is hailed as Vishu, other states across India celebrates the day under various names. Ugadhi in Andhra Pradesh, Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, Bihu in Assam and Baisakhi in Punjab, all carry similar significance of the New Year. People wake up in the wee hours of the morning, with their eyes closed, and only opens them in front of the Vishukanni. The Kanni is a mix of items that includes an image or idol of Lord Krishna, flowers, fruits, vegetables, clothes and gold or money.
It is Lord Vishnu, hailed as the Preserver, around whom Vishu is centred. According to Hindu mythology, he is the God of Time and hence the first day of the zodiac calendar is marked with his presence. It is a traditional Kerala festival that comes usually in the second week of April. In 2015, the date of Vishu is April 15.
Vishukanni Preparation
The Vishukanni is the first thing you see on the day of Vishu. Usually it is prepared by the mother or eldest women of the house, in the family puja room. A lot of details are seen into making a proper and auspicious Kanni.
A medium-sized vessel, called as an Uruli (a traditional cookware used in Kerala), is used to hold the Akshatam, a mixture of rice and turmeric. Over that, a freshly laundered, Kerala sarang with golden borders (called as the kasavu pudava) is placed. A golden coloured, shapely cucumber (called as the kanivellari), is placed along with betel leaves, ripe areca nut (seed of the areca palm), ripe yellow mango, ripe jackfruit and a special type of mirror with a long stem, called as vaalkannadi (the hand mirrors). In some parts of Kerala, the vaalkannadi represents the goddess.
Another freshly laundered, white piece of cloth is taken and pleated into a fan-shape and inserted into a spouted, brass puja vessel called as kindi. The Vaal kannadi is placed into the kindi along with the cloth and the whole arrangement is placed in the uruli, on the rice. On a small plate, a little rice, some flowers and a coin is placed. The whole kanni is prepared around an image of Lord Vishnu or a statue of Lord Krishna. Bright, yellow flowers called as Kannikonna is used to decorate the arrangement. In the centre, at the front of the kanni, a brass lamp is lit and placed. Money or coins are given as Vishu kaineettam by the head of the family on vishu day.
Small diyas or deepams can also be placed around the arrangement. The light from the flame would impart a yellowish hue to the whole setting, bringing a divine ambiance.
