Happy Vishu: Ever heard of Vishu vela, a central Kerala festivity?

For many modern-day Malayalis, Vishu is all about vishu kani, sadya and kanineettam. However, do you know that in certain parts of Kerala, the festivities of the day do not end there? All the above rituals and celebrations are just the drumroll towards the ultimate fete, the Vishu vela! It's observed primarily in the Thrissur-Palakkad region, reflecting their community spirit, agricultural roots, and crop cycle, signalling the end of harvesting and the beginning of planting. 

The traditional Vishu vela
In the traditional observance of Vishu vela, the festival used to begin around the afteroon of Vishu day as a colourful procession. Caprisoned elephants, percussionists and villagers used to go around the villages for about a few hours, displaying a festive spirit. 'Kummaatti,' a mask performance in which people dress up as Gods, 'vandi veshangal' or bullock cart costumes featuring various aspects of farming and fireworks were also part of it. 

Four days after Vishu, a ritual named 'chaalu' (referring to 'uzhavu chaal' or irrigation canal in farms) was also held. It was a morning puja on farmlands, as part of which the oxen were made to plough the land for a few rounds. The same day, the first round of planting for the next season also took place. 

The modern-day Vishu vela
In many temples of the Palakkad region, Vishu vela today is a many-day-long festival. For instance, the vela held at the Manghottu Bhagavathy Temple in Palakkad is seven days long. M Premkumar, one of the coordinators of the festival as part of the 'Pazhambalakkode desam,' says, "The festive vela here is at least 50 years old and it's complete with many 'koothu' performances (traditional dance dramas), mega shows, rituals, panchavadyam (percussion ensemble), fireworks and kuthira ezhunnallathu (horse procession). It finishes only by around 6 am the day after Vishu."

'Karivesham' a costume in which villagers apply black paint on themselves and walk through the streets, has also been part of observing Vishu vela in many places from the days of yore. It is still seen in many parts of Palakkad and Thrissur, as part of Vishu vela.  Villagers believe that the practice brings them luck for the next year. The Vishu vela festival and its scale might vary by village and regions, but it reaffirms Kerala's traditional connection to agriculture, regional deities and communal spirit. Happy Vishu!