Meera Klein
For Kerala, a state in south India, New Year comes in mid-April, not in January. We welcome the New Year with a simple ritual that grounds us and brings balance to our lives.
This holiday or Vishu as it is called in Kerala has been celebrated in India for hundreds of years. When I observe this special day, I feel a deep connection to my past and ancestors. The festival is a feast for the senses with the scent of sandalwood incense, burning oil wicks and the aroma of fresh flowers and ripe mangoes. The kani is a beautiful display of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, gold, jewellery and silk. Looking at the kani on New Year Day is supposed to bring prosperity and plenty.
Want to read more about this tradition? Here’s an excerpt from my award-winning novel, My Mother’s Kitchen: A Novel With Recipes (Homebound Publications, 2014)
This excerpt is from Chapter Four: Second Saturday, Husband.
That evening after my bath, it is time to help my mother and father decorate the kani. The kani is an important part of the celebration of Vishu or New Year. On the eve of Vishu, my mother and father put together the kani, a beautiful display of fruit, vegetables, jewellery and coins arranged around a mirror. On Vishu morning I look in the mirror and see the lights and sparkling jewellery.
Last year was the first time I had stayed up to help, and my father had protested.
“Sudha, you know that children aren’t allowed to decorate the kani. It must be a surprise, a wonder for them when they first see it on the morning of Vishu,” he had said.
“I know that, but I want her to learn how to make the kani. She loves arranging everything. It is still a wonderful sight in the morning with all the lamps lighted up,” my mother had replied.
So now, I help my mother with the decorating. I watch her take out the big silver tray and a small round mirror with a stand. The tray is wiped clean and placed on a small table set up in the middle of the second bedroom. My mother arranges her creamy white silk sari that is threaded with gold on the tray. I place a small sandalwood statue of Lord Krishna, playing the flute, next to the silk sari. My father props up the mirror in the middle of the tray. Ayah has brought in two fresh coconuts that have been split open to form white-fleshed bowls. Each coconut “bowl” is filled with rice and white beans. A small yellow squash, bananas, mangoes, jack fruit and a large pineapple, are arranged on the tray. Huge bouquets of flowers, mostly yellow because it is considered the most auspicious colour, are placed all around the idol, mirror and fruit.
“Meena, bring me the oil lamp from the other room,” she says.
I run into the living room and bring back the lamp, which is bright and shiny. My mother fills the tall brass lamp with oil and places five cotton wicks in the oil. The wicks will be lit tomorrow morning.
My father has brought special red “bindi” powder and yellow sandalwood paste. The table is laden with fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Finally, my mother brings out her fancy jewellery and places the strands of shiny gold on the table. My father drops handfuls of change on one corner of the table. This change, along with pieces of fruit, will be given out to anyone who visits our house on Vishu day.
It seems like I have just fallen asleep when my mother’s handshakes me awake. One of her hands is covering my eyes so that I can’t see anything.
“Wake up Meena. Come see the kani,” she whispers.
I groan and sit up. She keeps my eyes covered and helps me off the bed and guides me into the second bedroom. As we approach the bedroom, I can smell the sweet scent of burning incense and the oil from the lamp.
“Keep your eyes tightly closed,” she says. She wipes my face with a warm cloth.
“Place your hands right here,” my father says. He takes my hands and places the palms on the table.
“All right, little one, open your eyes and see what a prosperous new year is in store for you,” my mother says. “See the Lord in the mirror.”
I look up at my mother, disappointed, “Amma, it’s just me in the mirror, where’s the Lord?”
My father smiles at me, “Oh, Meenakutty, look carefully, and you’ll see the Lord shining in your eyes because He’s inside you.”
I stare at my face in the mirror. The lights from the oil lamp are reflected in my eyes. I open them wide at the enchanting sight in front of me. It is like a magical scene with all the fruits, flowers, gold and jewellery glittering in the light of the oil lamp.
“Look carefully at everything Meena. See the flowers, the fruit, the grains and jewellery?” my father says. “Now place your palms together and pray to Lord Krishna for a wonderful year.”
I put my palms together, close my eyes and murmur my prayers. My mother smears a bit of sandalwood paste on my forehead. The paste is cool on my skin, and my father places a bit of red powder in the middle of the sandalwood paste. My mother tucks a red hibiscus flower petal behind my right ear and turns me around.
“Come, get your kani present from us,” she says.
I hold out my hand, and she places a banana and a shiny coin in it.
“May your new year be filled with fruit and blessings,” she says.
I turn to my father, who is hiding something behind his back.
“Here is your Vishukanattam, a present from me,” he says with a smile.
I place the banana and coin on the table and eagerly tear open the plain brown package which contains a new skirt and blouse.
I bury my face in the soft silky material. It smells of my father’s shaving cream and something fruity. The skirt is a soft pearly grey with flecks of silver and pink, and the blouse is a pale pink with flecks of silver and grey.
“I love them Acha,” I say and run into his arms.
“I’m glad, little one. Wear them in good health.”
Aviyal Stew Recipe
A Kerala feast is not complete without this tangy stew, full of fresh vegetables, tart yoghurt and sweet coconut.
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
1 cup dried unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup yoghurt room temperature
1 cup green beans cut into approximately 2-inch pieces
1 ½ cup potatoes, cut into ½” x 2” pieces
1 cup carrots cut into ½” x 2” pieces
½ cup zucchini, cut into ½” x 2” pieces
½ cup peeled cucumbers, cut ½” x 2” pieces
¼ cup of water
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt
Optional: 1 small green chilli chopped (to spice up the yoghurt-coconut mixture)
1tsp. To 1 Tbs. lemon juice (to flavour yoghurt-coconut mixture)
1-2 Tbs. coconut oil (as a drizzle topping for stew)
Putting it all together:
Using a food processor shred coconut to a coarse powder. Add yoghurt (and chilli if desired) to the food processor and pulse to mix. Set aside.
Cook beans, potatoes, carrots and turmeric with water in a covered pan, over medium heat 5-8 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep the potatoes from sticking.
Add salt, zucchini and cucumber, and continue cooking in a covered pan, over medium heat for another 5 to 8 minutes. Stir occasionally until vegetables are just cooked.
Turn off heat and stir in yoghurt/coconut mixture. Add additional salt, and lemon juice to taste.
