Vishu വിഷു

Calculated for Thiruvananthapuram with sidereal (Lahiri) positions. Temple and devaswom announcements take precedence.

How the date is fixed

Vishu is tied to the Mesha Sankranti, the moment the Sun crosses into sidereal Aries. The Vishukkani is viewed at the first dawn after that moment. That is why Vishu can differ from Medam 1 by a day: in 2026 the Sun entered Medam on the morning of 14 April, so Medam began that day, but the first sunrise after the transit, and so Vishu, was on 15 April.

Vishukkani

The kani is arranged the night before in the prayer room, in an uruli (a wide bell-metal vessel). A typical kani holds raw rice, a golden cucumber (kani vellari), jackfruit, mango, coconut halves, a folded mundu, gold, coins, a mirror (valkannadi), a text such as the Ramayana, and bunches of konna flowers (Cassia fistula), which bloom yellow across Kerala in April. A nilavilakku is lit before dawn and each family member is led to it with eyes closed.

After the kani

• Vishukkaineettam: elders give coins or notes to children and younger family members.
• Vishu padakkam: fireworks and crackers, especially in the evening.
• Vishu sadya and Vishu katta: a feast at noon; in parts of north Kerala a rice-and-coconut-milk dish called Vishu katta is made.
• Temple darshan: Guruvayur and Sabarimala open for Vishukkani darshan in the early hours.

Vishu and the Malayalam year

Kerala keeps two year beginnings. The Kollavarsham era number changes on Chingam 1 in August, while Vishu marks the start of the solar (astronomical) year. Farmers traditionally began sowing plans from Vishu, and many Kerala almanacs publish their Vishu phalam (predictions for the year) at this time.

Questions