Vishu is here, and it means different things to different people.
It is that time of the year when the laburnum blooms and mango trees become bent with fruit. And celebrating this exuberance of nature is Vishu. While senior citizens fondly remember the rituals that go with the festival, many of the younger generation look forward to the festival for those crisp notes that fall into their hands. But it would be unfair to blame the youngsters , it is possible that they haven’t really experienced the ambience of these festivals.
Yet, despite the differences in perspectives, Malayalis still look forward to Vishu every year. Vishu is a festival that renews man’s bonds with Nature and the cosmic world.
However, now it has become a commodity that is exploited by the media and enterprising businessmen. What was once a ritualistic celebration and a spiritual experience has now been reduced to festivities alone. Each of the items that are used for the `kani’ has a significance that reminded us of our symbiotic relationship with each other, society and the world at large. Many people now say that it is an agrarian festival. But it is more than that. Vishu was meant to celebrate the spring equinox and all over India, people celebrate this in one form or the other. Only the names differ, the purpose was the same.
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