Today is Vishu, the start of Malayalam year. The harvest festival it is and is more popular and celebrated widely in North Kerala. Though I am from South Kerala Vishu was always special for us. It is not that we did big do’s on any of the Vishu’s, but the making of Vishukani and Vishukaineetam was always special. Vishukaineetam used to be one of the catching times when you were younger as it is the time when your pockets get filled up. Though the great Malayali feast, sadhya was not always there but Amma always managed with a mini sadhya and a payasam.
All the previous years I managed to be at home with either of the Mums during Vishu. Cant really say I am not at home this time, but it is always different with just both of us. The main thing being you miss everybody back home and you tend to compromise on celebrations thinking, ‘oh its just two of us!’ Especially this time Vishu falls on the working day very next to the Easter long weekend. Having had a weekend with late nights and wandering around with friends you are too tired to open your eyes next morning on the working day. But this time, for a change we managed to make a small Vishukani with available resources last night before we hit the bed. The traditional flower used for celebrating Vishu is the state flower in Kerala, Kanikonna is no way available in North East England. That is one big tree which marks the season in Kerala with absolutely no leaves at this time and fully flowered in bright yellow. I miss that!!! However, I had thought daffodils do give the same feel of the colour or atleast yellow chrysanthms. But, being a holiday yesterday we couldn’t sort the flowers out until evening, reason being we forgot about it. So for the Vishukani we managed with some white lilies, some fruits and veggies, a gold chain, a mirror and the available resources at home.
Got up an hour earlier than usual so that we get ample time for Vishukani and to catch up with family on phone. I should say getting up early and just opening your eyes infront of Lord Krishna with a Vishukani in front of him and then a look at Vaalkannadi make you feel great. Yes, the feeling is the same wherever you are in the world. Made sure I was not late for the trains as there is a saying that your entire year will somehow have the same effect if you mess up with the starting date. Superstitions never die however confident or convinced you are on their possibilies, sometimes you just don’t want to take a chance when it comes to you.
