Kerala celebrates Vishu with traditional fervour, massive devotee turnout at Guruvayur, Sabarimala temples

Thrissur: Vishu, the festival that evokes memories of agricultural prosperity and cultural abundance, is being celebrated with great fervor across Kerala today. From bustling cities to quiet villages, the spirit of the festival is alive with traditions like the Vishukkani and Vishukaineettam.

In Guruvayur, thousands of devotees gathered in the early hours for Vishukkani darshan at the temple. The darshan began at 2:45 AM, with Melshanthi (head priest) Kavapramarath Achyuthan Namboothiri performing the ritual of showing the Kani to Lord Krishna (Kannan) and distributing Vishukaineettam to the faithful.

Meanwhile, Sabarimala is witnessing a significant rush of pilgrims. The Thanthri and Melshanti ceremonially opened the doors to sanctum sanctorum and provided Vishukaineettam to the devotees. The temple is beautifully adorned for the occasion, and special Vishu pujas are being conducted. Darshan was available from 4 AM to 7 AM, and there was a massive turnout, with 30,000 bookings made as of yesterday.

Adding a special touch to this year's celebration, the Travancore Devaswom Board will distribute lockets featuring Lord Ayyappa as Vishukaineettam. These lockets will be officially released by Minister V.N. Vasavan at 10 AM today, and will also be available for purchase online.