‘Vishukkaineettam’(A Divine Gift of Vishu)

(A write-up, spun on the memoirs of my babyhood , partially factual and partially fictitious.

‘Vishu’ is an enchanting festival of Hindus of  Kerala in India. It is a legendary celebration full of sanctity and serenity. Its presence is in the mid-April though, it is believed to be a New Year gala. It is said that it signifies the commencement of  Zodiac Year. Anyhow it has been dwelling amidst people for a millennium or more back.

 Two imperative facets of  Vishu’s rituals are ‘Vishukkani’(The first sight as the visual parts unfurl into the new year after the slumber of the day before) and ‘Vishukkaineettam’. The oldsters despite their dotage ensure the vishukkani view  for all the members of the family. The rise from sleep at dawn followed by the virtual ‘Vishukkani’,  a full-fledged bath and a new set of apparels enthrall the family members. And here comes the ‘Vishukkaineettam’ a holy gift of affirmation  from the elders to youngsters, from Haves to Have-nots, from masters to servants and so on.

 The 'Vishukkani' is the spinal cord whereas  'Vishukkaineettam', for which everyone has a yen, is the backbone of Vishu’s celebration.  Vishu without  Vishukkaineettam is not at all a celebration for the offspring of the family, but only a procedure formal. And kaineettam or the gift is the most curious item for the under-aged. They dash and rush to the elders, when the latter dole out coins after coins in hands and hands. The  young progenies’ visual part and thinking spots count and calculate the total sum with much glee in mind and glow on face.

The childhood, mine though happened years back, the glimpses still linger in my memory as lively as today’s sparks .Entertainment and merriment winged and go on winging the festival, Vishu, for its entry occurs during summer vacation. The Gaggle used to come together to compare the collection of ‘Vishukkaineettam’. The smarter and elder charmed the younger ones for owning their sacred earnings of that day. They ,the elders give some syrupy promises, which remain as promises  only without any rupture. The poor, tender ones very easily fell prey to the formers’ plans.

 Sometimes Father Time carries us back through the track, we have travelled. Here we witness abundant amazing scenes of  our old deeds engraved on the board of our memories. They flash like reel by reel of movies through our minds).

 

Vishukkaineettam

  After the annual exam came the long awaited long vacation. The children of all the siblings used to congregate in Grandparents' house during vacations. 

Vishu visits us in this vacation, which the children fill with hilarity. That year also we, the little ones were provided with some coins as the 'Vishukkaineettam’.

A cousin of my age(nine years) and me together entered into a new initiative. Our little minds wove some dreams and hence we sowed the coins in elephant yam’s pits after its harvest.

“They will grow into tall plants bearing coins and coins all over,” thought we contentedly. 

We watered every day and watched intriguingly their growth by removing the earth.

 “Alas!  The coins are lazy. They do not come up. They don't know anything about this world.That is why they don't grow and come up," inferred our tiny minds and whispered to each other.

One day we noticed sadly that the coins’ had vanished  from mother Earth’s lap. The gloom that shadowed our petite minds brought tears in our eyes.Tears started flowing down the cheeks as streams.

 And our teardrops melted the mind of one of the elder cousins,

“Don’t fret about, you are lucky and that is why mother Earth has blessed you. You have become very dear to Her.She has taken your coins as gifts to her. She  had carried away Sita Devi, when Sita wished so. This is like that only,” he solaced us.

 We, who were aware of  Ramayana story, were taken aback by his considerate words. Our innocent little minds were filled with thrill  and enjoyed really the bliss of mother Earth’s blessings”.

 Didn’t or couldn’t our tender age notice the snigger on  the eldest cousin’s visage. Now when we open that folder, the game and fun behind that appear very luridly. A smile emerges out because of the  folly, ours at that time.

"Life without fun is a dish without salt, " I often think now.