Tamil New Year (Puthandu) and Vishu

This year Tamil New Year Falls on 14th April 2021 and the year "Plava" starts.  Actually the year starts at 2:48am on 14th April 2021. We as Palakkadu Tamil Brahmins celebrate both Tamil Puthandu and Vishu Punya Kaalam.  

TAMIL PUTHANDU

We cook lavish meals Payasam, Kichadi, Pachchadi, Aviyal, Kari, Kootu Sambhar, More Kulambu, Rasam, Vadai, Boli and Mango Pickle.We serve on banana leaf. These are usual dishes on any festive days.  Main unique dish is Veppam Poo Pachchadi  which has all the six tastes - sweet, salty, bitter, sour, pungent and astringent. Since this year it falls on Sunday we can relish the food with utmost satisfaction.

We buy new dresses for this occasion.  In Kolkata there is clearance sale from 1st April to 13th April. We go to temple and pray to God that this year brings happiness and prosperity. We exchange greetings - PUTHANDU NAL VAAZHTHTHUKKAL (Nowadays through whatsapp)

 

Recipe for Veppam Poo Pachchadi Ingredients Raw mango – 1 pc. Jaggery – ½ cup Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp. Salt to taste For grinding Green Chilli – 1 no. Rice powder – 1 tsp. Coconut – 1 Tbsp Mustard seeds – ½ tsp For Tempering Asfoetida – 2 pinch Red Chilli – 1 no. Ghee – 1tsp. Mustard – ½ tsp Curry leaves – 1 sprig Neem Flowers – 1 Tbs Method Cut the mango to slices. In a pan boil the mango slices. Add Turmeric powder and salt When the mangoes are cooked add grated jaggery to it. Cook for 5 mins.  Meanwhile grind Coconut, 1 green chilli, mustard seeds and rice powder and add this. Cook for 2 more mins. Now in a pan add the ingredients except neem flowers . After the crackle of mustard seeds off the gas. Add neem flowers and curry leaves and fry them in the same tempering using the heat. If the heat is not sufficient then fry them in low heat. Care must be taken not to burn the neem flowers. They are delicate. Finally add the tempering to the pachchadi.

VISHU PUNYAKAALAM

As the year Vikari starts at 2:25 pm on 14th April 2019 the VISHU is celebrated the next day.

On the eve of Vishu day i.e. on the night of 14th April we clean one wooden palagai (wooden slab connected by two timbers) and put kolam on it. We keep one big mirror upright on the rear end. We put gold chains and flower garland on the mirror. In one brass plate or banana leaf we arrange the following:

• One Kuththuvilakku (brass lamp with five face)
• Image of God
• Blossoms of Laburnum tree
• Money usually bowl full of gold coins, silver coins and nickel coins,
• Rice and Tuwar daal in silver cups,
• Summer Vegetables like Raw mango, Jackfruit, cucumber, Vellari cucumber, Raw Turmeric bulbs, Pumpkin, Ridge Gourd, Drumsticks, coconut cut open, etc. Traditionally the vegetables grown in their own garden are used. Nowadays we use market bought. 
• Fruits like Bananas, Mangoes, Grapes, Apples, Oranges etc
• New clothes
• Betel leaves and arecanut

The lady of the house gets up early and lights the kuththuvilakku and guides other members (with closed eyes) of the family to the puja room. Each member sees the mirror and sees his face on the mirror. It is a lovely sight. Sight of the God image, his or her image appearing decorated with garlands and gold chain and all the bounties.

Younger people prostrates ie does namaskaarams to elders to show their regard and elders blesses them and gives vishukani a token of money.

Then we bath and put on new clothes and do puja at home little elaborately with lots of flowers and garlands. After that we visit temples especially Guruvayurappan Temple.