Vishu - A Happy and Auspicious New Year!

Happy Vishu/Tamil New Year to everyone

“Its 5’o clock wake up” ..the voice of my Grandpa echoed in my dreams as I slept on!It was that kind of sleep which had no negatives associated!It was pure,not slept after rumination,consternation,stress or tears in the eyes!It was slept after a day of play,study and extreme happiness!Then there was the gentle touch on my shoulder to wake me up – “Look it is Vishu!Get up,see the mirror,take your money and go back to sleep again” this time the voice was urgent and needed attention to immediately!I got up,eyes almost closing again and was told to keep them closed.Then I got up and my Grandpa carefully guided me past the bedroom,lounge,hall and dining room where the Vishukani was neatly arranged!

“Ok,now open your eyes” and as I did I beheld the ghee lamp with its active flame dancing inside the mirror in the middle of assorted fruits and vegetables freshly bought for the occasion!I bowed my head in reverence to the Almighty preserver – Vishnu and received a Rs 1 coin which I was not supposed to spend as it would bring wealth!I took the coin and ran off to sleep again till maybe 8.00am after which I would be having a head and body bath,then my breakfast,then play followed by an enormous and sumptuous lunch!

“Ping” went my cellphone!Airtel was announcing that my monthly amount was due and I should pay upfront to avoid cancellation!I ruminated on what had happened 25 years back!Silver Jubilee indeed I thought,a bit annoyed that the days had flown so fast!I remembered my Grandpa,now watching over me from above and suddenly missed the old days very much.Both my Grandparents were together now and I was left with only memories of bygone happy days which would be relived when I followed the customs and traditions they showed me and taught me the simplicity of following them!I thought of Vishu,I thought of the food (being a food blogger you cannot expect anything else from me),the lunches,the Bitter Gourd Sambar,the Jackfruit thoran,the myriads of kinds of papads which were painstakingly made,dried and stored in big bins for occasions like this,the uber delicious fruit salad – which was made as a substitute for Payasam when my Grandpa thought of an idea to incorporate the fruits purchased for Vishu into a beautiful dessert rather than the traditional Pal Payasam!

Now I had to cook,chop,grind..well but still the pleasure of reliving Vishu was there exactly as per how my ancestors did it in their days!

Vishu means the completion of Spring equinox on a formal note!It is family time as according to the lunar calendar a year is completed and the new year starts heralding a second round of wishing “Happy New Year” barely 4 months after the January 1 spree by respected members of South Indian communities while the “mamis” or the women folk busy themselves in the kitchen for the very elaborate lunch!

The Vishukani (or the first seen object in the New Year by our eyes”)is very special and follows certain norms.It is very simple to understand that it represents what we eat everyday and the money we have.We put them in front of a mirror in front of which we put a ghee lamp surrounded by fruits and veggies,grains,legumes and milk.We then cook with them for the Vishu Sadhya and eat them to be blessed by the Lord for prosperity and peace!This Vishukani is arranged in the night itself!

Vishukani at my place

Early morning view

Though the lunches were enormous with 8 – 9 items at one time,these days it is very difficult to manage likewise.This time I made a Bitter Gourd Sambar,Jackfruit Thoran and Papads coupled with delicious curd rice (thayir saadam) with Manga Kari pickle.However I have collated some choice recipes which we love to prepare when we have a bunch of people to feed!These recipes are available under one roof here so easy to pull up as the links are given alongside!