Greetings : 1)GREETINGS FOR VISHU MALAYALAM NEW YEAR DAY & PUTTHANDU TAMIL NEW YEAR DAY ( from Shri RB Kishore Patron AIRIEF)

[category AIRIEF )
DEAR ALL,

1)GREETINGS FOR VISHU MALAYALAM NEW YEAR DAY &

PUTTHANDU TAMIL NEW YEAR DAY

GREETINGS FOR A HAPPY, JOYOUS VISHU,

LILTING,PROSPEROUS TAMIL NEW YEAR DAY &

A FESTIVE,DELIGHTFUL BHAISAKHI

2)Vishu (വിശു) is one of the most important South India Festivals celebrated in Kerala and the adjoining areas of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka ( Mangalore/Udupi). It is considered to be the Malayalam new year day as it falls on the first day of the Malayalam month of Medam which coincides with the English months of April-May. This is considered the first day of Zodiac calender when Sun enters into the Mesha Raasi (Aries zodiac sign), which is the first zodiac according to the Indian astrology and represents the vernal equinox. This explains the meaning of the Sanskrit term “Vishu” that stands for “equal”.

Vishu will be celebrated this year on 14 April 2024

In Kerala they consider Vishu as the first day of the astrological new year which is the first day of the Malyalam month Medam.

The logical conclusion that stands is that Vishu does not mark the beginning of the Solar New Year (when sun crosses the equator and heads northward). The confusion might have arisen due to the fact that in Kerala, Vishu celebrations were initiated about 1,654 years ago. That time, the Solar New Year almost started at the same time as the Zodiac New Year. However, because Zodiac New Year is constant and Solar New Year keeps on changing at the rate of one degree every 74 years, the two new years’ date are different. Keralites however, observe their customary new year day on the day of Vishu.

Vishu Kani Tradition

Vishukani Setting- Ritual of Divine Arrangement

Vishukani can be seen as the offering made to the divine and arranged in the puja room in a particular manner with auspicious articles like rice,cloth, golden cucumber, fruits, betel leaves, metal mirror, holy texts, gold, coins and the Vishu flowers (yellow flowers konna -Cassia fistula) in a metal vessel known as uruli made of panchaloham or five metals. The idol of Vishnu is also the main component of Vishukani.

Vishukani (വിശുകനി) is arranged on the previous night of ‘Vishu’ by the mother and the other women of the household. The mother then sleeps in that pooja room and upon rising in the auspicious morning hours (4-6 AM), she sees the ‘Vishukani’ and lights the metal lamp. Then she wakes up all the other members of the house and they all come to the Puja room with their eyes covered with their hands because they must see the auspicious Vishu Kani before seeing anything else.

Gold color and gold both are emphasized while setting Vishu Kani. The Kanikkonna or the Vishu flower (a golden-yellow flower associated with Lord Krishna) is used liberally while arranging the Vishukani in puja room. These flowers only blooms when the sun is situated in its most exalted position. Gold is the symbol of monetary affluence along with cultural and spiritual wealth. The elders give presents, mostly coins and money to the younger members of the family. This is known as Vishukkaineettam. The articles of Vishukanni are later distributed among the poor.

The family members also read read verses from Holy books like Bhagwad Geeta and Ramayanam after seeing the “Vishukkani”. This represents seeking of eternal wisdom and spiritual enlightenment along with materialistic prosperity throughout the coming year. Many people visit temples such as Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple, Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple in order to have a “Vishukkani Kazhcha” in the early hours of “Vishu” day.

Vishu Celebrations

Vishu is a great day of joy in Kerala households. All the people there wear new clothes and gifts are exchanged. They wish ‘Happy Vishu’ to all their friends and distant family members through Vishu greeting cards, SMS wishes, and online Vishu scraps. It is a day of grand feasting. All types of food having all tastes – salt, sweet, sour and bitter dishes are prepared.

Some of the traditional Vishu feast items include Veppampoorasam (a bitter preparation made of neem) and Mampazhapachadi (a sour mango soup). Fireworks too are an important part of Vishu celebrations. In the morning and the previous evening, children as well as grown ups enjoy firecrackers.

3)Puthandu – Tamil New Year

The Tamils have their own traditions to observe the New Year. The Tamil New Year is celebrated on the first day of the Tamil New Year which falls in the mid April according to the Gregorian calendar. The Tamil New Year is celebrated in Tamilnadu and Puducherry of India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Reunion Island and Mauritius. The Tamil New Year is celebrated according to the Hindu lunar-solar calendar.

Tamils have distinct cultures to celebrate their New Year. Puthandu follows the Nirayanam vernal equinox. The first month of the Tamil New Year is called Chitterai. In astrological terms, the sun enters the sign of Aries on this day, marking the beginning of Chitthirai, the first month of the Tamil calendar.On the day people gather at the temples to offer prayers and oblation to the God. In the temple city of Madurai, pujas are offered at the Meenakshi Temple. A fair cum exhibition is also organized at the temple ground by the name of Chitterai Porutkaatchi.

The Tamils decorate their houses with kolam on that day and also prepare elaborate meals to welcome the New Year. They celebrate the day with neem leaves and raw mangoes. The new year’s day is considered to be very sacred by the Tamilians. On the eve of Puthandu, houses are cleaned thoroughly, pots and pans get a deep scrub, damaged equipment is fixed or replaced and old/unused things are discarded. This custom is very similar to the concept of Spring cleaning in the western world.

Early in the morning on the festival day, women adorn the entrance of their house with colorful Kolam or Rangoli patterns. A lamp called Kuthuvillakku is placed in the center of the Kolam. People begin the day by looking at auspicious things like gold and silver jewelry, betel leaves, nuts, fruits and vegetables, flowers, raw rice and coconuts. It is believed that a good start to the New Year will ensure prosperity and happiness in the coming year. This is followed by a bath, visit to the temple and Panchangam (almanac) reading.

Tamil New year is celebrated with all kinds of festive food. Pachchadi is a very traditional preparation on this day. It is a sweet, sour and bitter dish made of raw mangoes, jaggery and neem flowers to signify different aspects of life. Murukkas, vadais and different types of rice are made for the festivities.

Payasam or rice kheer is a typical sweet made in Tamilian homes for this day. People visit friends and family to wish them a happy and prosperous New Year. There is also a custom where children receive small gifts from the elders to mark the occasion.

Puthandu is the time for the Tamils of great fun and festivity. A grand car show is organized at Tiruvidaimarudur off Kumbakonam. Fairs are also organized at places like-Tiruchirapalli, Kanchipuram and many other parts of Tamilnadu.

Puthandu also describes the beginning of the ploughing session in Tamilnadu and hence, the first tilling of the land is also done of the day in a function called ‘arpudu’.

In fact, many states of India celebrate their new year festival around this time of the year. Some of these include Baisakhi festival of Punjab, Nobo Borsho- the Bengali New Year, Puthandu of Tamil Nadu and Bohag Bihu of Assam.

In some parts of southern Tamilnadu, Puthandu is also known as Chittirai Vishu. As is the tradition on the day of Puthandu the elders give out money gifts to the unmarried young as a token of good fortune and young seek blessings from their elders.

4)Baisakhi – The Harvest Festival
Baisakhi, or Vaisakhi, is a harvest festival celebrated mainly in the Punjab region and also in some northern states such as Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It marks the first day of the month of Baisakh and signifies a new harvest season. In many places the day is marked by ritualistic bathing in sacred rivers like the Ganges. This day has importance to both Hindus and Sikhs.

In Sikhism, it commemorates the establishment of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib in 1699 by the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. For Hindus, it is the first day of the Hindu solar new year.

To mark the celebrations, devotees, irrespective of religion, visit the Gurudwara with flowers and offerings at dawn. Processions through towns are also common. It is believed to be the day on which the Khalsa was born and Sikhs were given a clear identity and a code of conduct to live by. Kirtans and recital of passages from the Granth Sahib are held and people line up to receive the delicious prasad and perform kar sewa, offering help in the daily chores of the Gurdwara.

Punjab reminds me of the green farms, colorful dresses and the bhangra. Singing and dancing are an intrinsic part of the joyful festival of Baisakhi. The people in punjab celebrate baisakhi with so much exuberance. Everywhere you can hear the cries of “Jatta aai Baisakhi” and the whole atmosphere is so joyous.

This day is also observed as the thanks giving day by the farmers whereby the farmers pay their tribute to God for the abundant harvest and also praying for the future prosperity. Baisakhi is one of the important festivals celebrated with fun and fervor by people of all religions.

The festival bears a great significance for Sikhs due to the fact that on the Baisakhi Day in the year 1699, the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, laid down the foundation of the Panth Khalsa, i.e.the Order of the Pure Ones. It is also used as a celebration for those accepting the five Ks.To mark the celebrations, Sikh devotees generally attend the Gurdwara before dawn with flowers and offerings in hands. Processions through towns are also common.

It is believed that thousands of years ago, Goddess Ganga descended to the Earth and in her honour many Hindus gather along the sacred Ganges river for ritual baths.

To top it all, Punjab’s finger licking food, Makai ki roti, sarson ka saag, and Punjabi lassi. It is a tradition to welcome the guests with the tall glasses of lassi.

Lassi is such a boon on any summer day. And summer is no fun without mangoes, so enjoy the mangoes the punjabi way! Serve the Chilled Mango Lassi and celebrate the baisakhi!!! Baisakhi celebrations include the Bhangra and Gidda dances, both very lively dance forms generating lot of excitement and energy. Joyful cries of “Jatta aai Baisakhi” are heard everywhere as people greet each other. Fairs are organized in various places for the community to gather and celebrate the joyous occasion.

5)In Sri Lanka, the Tamils celebrate their New Year with a herbal bath called ‘maruthu-neer’. It is expected to bring in good health for people. The traditional game of coconut-war, por-thenkai, is also organized at various places of Sri Lanka.

Many other people in South Asia celebrate this day as the New Year’s day, including people from Punjab, Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Nepal, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The festival is referred to by various names such as Baisakhi, Vishu, Naba Barsha and Rongali Bihu.

6)Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj on Vaisakhi in 1875.

7) LET US GREET THE NEW YEAR WITH FAITH & PRAYERS

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT,

FROM POVERTY TO PLENTY,

FROM IGNORANCE TO WISDOM,

FROM QUIETITUDE TO BLISS,

FROM UNCERTAINTY TO CERTAINTY,

FROM VAGUENESS TO PRECISENESS,

FROM STUPOR TO SPLENDOUR

TO UNLOCK ECONOMIC,FINANCIAL,RURAL & INDUSTRIAL RENAISSANCE

MAY OUR DESIRE COME TRUE,
MAY OUR DREAMS BE FULFILLED

May 24thAPRIL be the BRIGHTEST DAY