KOCHI: Yet another Vishu is right round the corner and the Keralites are busy gathering the important things needed to make their ‘Vishu Kani’ a very auspicious one. City too is all set to relive the enthusiasm of ‘Vishu Kani’ , the golden moment that encompasses us with all the energy to live through another year. The spirit of the festival has already assailed the city with demand for vegetables and crackers increasing on Monday.

Malls and Movies

Most of the branded shops in major Malls in the city have come up with holiday offers for the public. Along with that, the theatres and multiplexes too are having a gala time with the number of viewers increasing during the vacation season. Two more movies, slated for Vishu release, will hit screens by Wednesday. Interestingly, it will be a father-son box office war this Vishu with Mammootty and his son Dulquer Salman locking horns, a rare thing in Malayalam cinema. Mammootty is joining hands with hitmaker Sidhique for his Vishu release- Bhaskar, The Rascal while Dulquer will come up with his second Tamil movie, ‘Okay Kanmani’, directed by ace maker Mani Ratnam. Who will have the last laugh? Mammootty or Dulquer or both is the thing that movie lovers are closely looking into.

Artificial ‘Konna Poo’

Preserving the rustic charm and divinity of the golden era, the festival has slightly evolved for convenience. The golden shower (konna poo), which is a must item in Vishu is slowly being replaced by artificial flowers. The vendors say that since fresh flowers are perishable, some of the customers prefer the artificial ones, which are priced between `35 and `70. Some vendors even sell miniature ‘Konna’ trees at a price of about `1,500.

Idol of Lord Krishna

‘Vishu Kani’ is insignificant without glimpsing Lord Krishna the first thing in the morning. Considering the demand for cute little Krishna idols, the vendors are offering them at distinct rates and varieties. The statues are made of wood, plaster, mud, pulp and fibre. The material used decides the rate in the market. Statues made from fibre are costlier and are priced at `1,500, while those made of pulp and mud are priced between `100 and `300. For those who want their kani in a bigger canvas, larger idols are available in the market for `2,500 and above.

Golden Cucumber

Kanivellari(golden cucumber) is an integral part of this tradition without which the kani would be incomplete. Because of the demand, the prices for this prized Vishu vegetable has gone high and was priced at `50 per kg on Monday. It being the mango season, mangoes, another important item in Vishu Kani, is readily available in the City. Demand is also high for fruit kits. A kit of half to one kilogram costs about `100 rupees. These kits contain all the fruits that are considered to be a part of Vishu.

Cracking sales

The major attraction of Vishu season still remains the lights and crackers. They are also the most expensive item on the Vishu menu. The prices of crackers increase substantially during this time of the year. Kochi market is crowded with firecracker vendors. The items ranges from the traditional ‘ola padakkam’ to the all time favourites like  poothiri, ‘kambithiri’, ‘mathappu’ and ‘Chakram’. While smaller items like ‘poothiri’ is available in the rates between `12 and `75, die-hard fans of the festive mood spend thousands of rupees on crackers which clearly explains why bullet crackers costing up to `6,000 are high on demand.

Source: The New Indian Express