CHENNAI: The sweet aroma of maanga pachadi, the stunning beauty of intricately drawn pulli kolams and a vibrant plate of mukkanis — ma (mango), pala (jackfruit) and vazhai (banana) — arranged with beetle leaves, areca nuts and the panjangam (Tamil almanac) are quintessential on Tamizh Puthandu (New Year). Not too far away, friends from our neighbouring state of Kerala deck their houses with Konna (Golden shower) flowers, set up a bright Vishukani replete with seasonal fruits and vegetables, gift kaineetam, and feast on a delectable sadhya.
For Tamilians and Malayalis across the globe, April 14 marks the first day of the traditional year, according to their sidereal calendars. With the coronavirus-induced lockdown keeping families indoors, ingenuity and improvisation take centre stage to usher in the celebrations.
A new experience
For entrepreneur Shreya Nagarajan Singh, it is about embracing the situation and soaking in the experience. “For the first time, the entire family, across three generations are all at home in quarantine. It’s more special for us this year as we have never done this before. I’m not sure if we will ever have this experience again. We plan to have a good meal together. We will have a Zoom conference call with the rest of the family, who are in seven different cities and four different countries,” she shares.
The family, Shreya says, is also trying to chalk a common menu for the day. “We are trying to see if we can all perhaps cook the same traditional delicacies — vadai, applam, potato roast and payasam.
It’s our custom to wear our silks and we will continue to do so. For our sanity, I think it’s essential to maintain normalcy (as much as possible) to manage the threat that looms and our anxieties. But it’s also important to not flaunt what we have but come together with kindness and compassion, to be generous at a time like this and share as much as possible,” she says.
Celebrating humanity
While the gloomy cloud of COVID-19 hangs heavy over the planet, West Mambalam-based Geetha Kannan, a homemaker believes in living in the present, revelling in the joys of traditional puja and feast, and sharing the fruits of abundance with the lesser-privileged especially in these times. “This year, as per panjangam, the Tamil New Year falls on April 14. Considering the lockdown, I had anticipated a shortage of vegetables, groceries and necessary raw materials for the rituals.
However, everything is available and hence I’m planning to celebrate it in a grander way to spread the festive vibes while also being considerate. Traditionally, we wake up early and light the kuthuvilaku. It’s our custom to do a grand puja for the welfare of our family and society, and pray to the Almighty by keeping some gold, silver, jewels, mirror, coconut, flowers, cucumber, mangoes, rice, dal, jaggery and seeking blessings,” she shares.
While ingredients for the new year dishes were not easy to source, the Tamizh Puthandu menu at the Kannan household holds a powerful message about the ebbs and flows of life. “The main dish is maanga pachadi. It is a sweet, sour and bitter dish made with raw mangoes, jaggery and neem flowers. The reason behind cooking this pachadi is to make us understand that life is a tapestry of joy, sorrow, hatred...which we need to accept as it comes; try to overcome all kind of situations with a positive approach and confidence,” she says.
Lending a helping hand in the preparation for the festivities is Geetha’s husband, Veeraraghavan Kannan, an astrologer and Lakshmi Nrusimha upasakar. “This year, there will be a special puja to eradicate the corona ‘suran’ with special prayers and japam. Along with regular puja, we will be performing a Lakshmi Nrusimha puja and Astadasa Bhuja Mahalakshmi Durgai puja for the welfare of family and society.
These deities are said to give enormous power to handle any kind of crisis. We will also be reciting Kirumi Nasini Suktam, a special shloka to kill all kind of viruses,” shares Geetha. Moments of crisis also offer opportunities for acts of empathy and kindness, for the Kannan family. “Most importantly, we want to do annadnam — comprising a prasadam, sweet, mixed rice and buttermilk — to those who are stuck without food. I’m planning to handover the food packets to the nearby police officials and request them to make arrangements,” she shares.
Coming together
It is also the time of the year when Malayalis across the world will be celebrating Vishu. Usually, homes are filled with the boisterous laughter of families and relatives; the elders gift kaineetam (blessing in the form of money) to their children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces; and the aromatic spices and flavours of a lavish sadhya tempt the senses. However, owing to the restrictions imposed due to the lockdown, this year, sensibilities will prevail over the senses, keeping Vishu a low-key affair in most homes. “Usually, when we wake up, we are asked to keep our eyes closed and then brought in front of an idol of Lord Krishna.
We then open our eyes to first see the Lord’s face and seek blessings for a prosperous new year,” says Arathi Kaimal, a student-cum-freelance writer. But Aarthi’s celebratory mood has been mildly soured by social distancing. “I’m disappointed that there won’t be any kaineetam this year. After all, I’m the youngest! But we will place Krishna’s idol in the appropriate sacred space and light a lamp. We are also planning to prepare a sadhya with some payasam, and then join a video call with family and friends, who usually come home for the celebrations,” says Arathi, hopeful that the crisis tides over soon.
Conscious and aware of the gravity of the pandemic, Chitra Padmanabhan, an anesthesiologist, says that this year’s Vishu celebration won’t be the conventional way. The money that’s usually spent on clothes and other indulgences will be used to donate funds to their driver and maid. “We are going to look after our domestic help by providing any medical aid if need be and also making sure they can make ends meet during this trying time,” she says. While the pandemic has put paid to the usual grand celebrations, prayers, hope and faith seem to keep the spirit alive.