Devotees throng to Lord Ayyappa temple on Vishu day

Sabarimala (Kerala): Devotees thronged to world famous Lord Ayyappa temple here on Monday to offer prayers and see 'Vishukkani' -- first scene of Vishu Day -- which is the most important event of the day in connection with this year's Vishu festival, the beginning of the Malayalam New Year.

Rituals like Neyyabhishekam, Kalabhabhishekam and Padipooja are performed in the hill shrine on this day.

Vishu,' the beginning of Malayalam New Year, is being celebrated by Malayalees all over the world with traditional fervour and gaiety looking ahead to a year of plenty and prosperity.

Lakhs of people thronged major temples across Kerala to offer prayers and see 'Vishukkani.' People woke up in the wee hours to see the auspicious ’Vishukkani’ as the ritual consists of arranging on platters auspicious articles like seasonal fruits, rice, coconut, jack fruit, vegetables, flower, gold, coins, clothes, golden cucumber and Konna (Cassia fistula blooming in the Vishu season) and clothes which together form the first sight of the people when they woke up on the Vishu day.

The traditional belief is that the new year will be better if one views auspicious joyful things as the first thing on Vishu.

There is also a popular tradition of elders giving money to younger ones or dependents of the family. This is called 'Vishu Kaineettam.' Children greeted Vishu by bursting crackers.

The Vishu new year day is celebrated elsewhere but called by other names. It is called Vaisakhi by Hindus and Sikhs in north and central India, which too marks the solar new year, and Tamil New Year day called Puthandu.

Devotees thronged major temples across the State including Sree Padmanabha Temple, Aaranmula Parthasarathi Temple, Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple, Vaikkom Mahadeva temple, Thiruvanvandoor Goshala-Mahavishnu Temple, Kodungallur Devi temple, Malayalapuzha Devi temple Pattazhi Devi temple for ‘Vishukkani’ darshan.

In several temples, Devotees are being blessed by priests by giving them 'Vishu Kaineettam' during their 'Darshan' as part of Vishu festival.

Kerala Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Opposition leader VD Satheesan, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MLAs, Ministers and MPs also greeted people on the occasion.