Happy Vishu 2019: Vishu is celebrated as the New Year primarily by people in Kerala. The Malayalam New Year festival also marks the spring equinox. The day is celebrated with much gusto and aplomb and is observed on the first day of the month called Medam. As per the Gregorian calendar, the festival is celebrated somewhere in the middle of April. This year, it will be celebrated on April 15 (Monday). The day begins with devotees offering their prayers to Lord Krishna and visiting temples such as Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple, Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple or Kulathupuzha Sree BaalaShastha Temple. It is a day that is marked with revelry as friends and family members come together. Celebrations for Vishu, which means 'equal' in Sanskrit language, continue over savouries and delicacies prepared especially for this day. A special savoury, known as sadya, consisting of various traditional vegetarian dishes is prepared on this day. It is generally served on a banana leaf in Kerala. Children partake in the festival by wearing new clothes. Being the first day of the year, it is believed that looking at certain auspicious things will set the tone for the year. In certain families, members wake up early to watch the golden blossoms of the laburnum tree, money, silver items and rice. The day is celebrated as Bihu in Assam, Puthendu in Tamil Nadu, and also as Baisakhi in Punjab.
