Vishu 2027 – Kerala’s Solar New Year & the Vishukkani
വിഷു
When is Vishu in 2027?
Vishu falls on Thursday, 15 April 2027. It marks the Malayali astronomical New Year, the first day of the month of Medam, when the sun enters Mesha (Aries). Families rise before dawn to view the Vishukkani, an arranged first sight believed to set the fortune of the year ahead.
Vishu is the astronomical New Year of Kerala, kept on the first day of Medam when the sun crosses into Mesha (Aries). Its centre is the Vishukkani, the carefully arranged first thing a person sees on waking – golden konna flowers, rice, fruit, coins and a mirror set before an image of Krishna. Malayalis believe this opening sight, along with the day’s Kaineettam gifts and the Sadya feast, shapes the prosperity of the whole year.
Vishu 2026-2028: Dates & Calendar
The next Vishu is on Thursday, 15 April 2027. Because it follows the sun rather than the moon, the date barely moves, sitting on 14 or 15 April each year.
| Year | Date | Day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 April | Tuesday | Medam 1 |
| 2027 | 15 April | Thursday | Next occurrence |
| 2028 | 14 April | Friday | Medam 1 |
The same solar transit is marked across India on this day under other names, which is why Vishu, Puthandu, Baisakhi and Pana Sankranti often fall within a day of one another.
Why Vishu Is Celebrated
Vishu marks the Malayali New Year and the belief that an auspicious first sight, the kani, sets the tone for the twelve months ahead.
A solar new year
Vishu opens the Malayalam month of Medam as the sun enters Aries. It is a farming milestone too, coming as the summer harvest is gathered, so the day carries hopes for a good agricultural year.
The auspicious first sight
The heart of Vishu is the idea that whatever you see first on New Year’s morning colours your fortune. Households therefore compose the Vishukkani the night before, so the very first thing the family beholds is beautiful, golden and abundant.
Renewal and giving
Beyond the omens, Vishu is a day of family, generosity and gratitude. Elders pass money to the young as Kaineettam, homes are cleaned and lit, and the shared Sadya feast draws relatives together to begin the year in goodwill.
Deities & Figures Worshipped
Vishu is dedicated to Vishnu in his form as Krishna, whose image is placed at the centre of the Vishukkani.
Krishna
An idol or picture of Krishna, often as Guruvayurappan of Guruvayur, is set among the konna flowers and offerings so that the Lord is the first sight of the year. Guruvayur temple sees enormous crowds for its pre-dawn Vishukkani darshan.
Vishnu
As Krishna is an avatar of Vishnu, Vishu is understood as honouring Vishnu the preserver, seeking his blessing for a protected and prosperous year. Many families also visit Sabarimala and other Vishnu shrines on the day.
Key Rituals, Step by Step
The day runs from a carefully staged night-before arrangement to the pre-dawn viewing, gift-giving and feasting.
- Arrange the Vishukkani. On the eve, the eldest woman lays out a broad bell-metal vessel (uruli) with raw rice, golden konna flowers, a cucumber and jackfruit, betel leaves, coins, a mirror and an image of Krishna, lit by a nilavilakku lamp.
- View the kani at dawn. Waking before sunrise, family members are often led to the arrangement with eyes closed and open them onto the Vishukkani, so it is the literal first sight of the new year.
- Read and pray. Many then look into the mirror, glance over gold and coins, and offer a short prayer before Krishna, asking for a bright and plentiful year.
- Receive Kaineettam. Elders hand out coins or money to children and younger relatives as a blessing of prosperity, a much-loved part of the morning.
- Light Vishu Padakkam. Children and families set off firecrackers, a cheerful marker of the New Year seen across Kerala’s towns and villages.
- Visit the temple. Devotees head to temples such as Guruvayur and Sabarimala for the special Vishukkani darshan and morning offerings.
- Share the Vishu Sadya. The family gathers for the grand vegetarian banana-leaf feast at midday, balancing sweet, sour, salty and bitter to reflect the full flavour of the coming year.
Special Foods of Vishu
The table centres on the Sadya, a multi-course vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf, alongside porridge and sweet payasam.
Vishu Sadya
The showpiece meal: rice with a spread of curries such as sambar, avial, olan and kaalan, pickles, pappadam and payasam, all served on a fresh banana leaf. The mix of tastes is meant to represent the balance of the year ahead.
Vishu kanji
A comforting porridge of rice cooked in coconut milk, usually eaten with a spicy side of green gram and roasted coconut. It is a common breakfast around the festival.
Thoran
A dry stir-fry of finely chopped vegetables or beans with grated coconut, mustard and curry leaves, a staple side on the Sadya leaf.
Payasam
The sweet finish – a pudding of rice or lentils simmered with jaggery or milk and cardamom. Ada pradhaman and parippu payasam are favourites at Vishu.
Where Vishu Is Celebrated
Vishu is primarily a Kerala festival, kept by Malayalis at home and across the diaspora, with a close cousin in neighbouring Tulu Nadu.
Kerala
The festival is observed statewide, with the Vishukkani, Kaineettam, fireworks and Sadya common to most Hindu Malayali homes. Guruvayur draws the largest crowds for its dawn darshan.
Tulu Nadu (coastal Karnataka)
In the Tulu-speaking region around Mangaluru and Udupi, the same solar new year is marked as Bisu, with a Vishukkani-style kani arrangement and festive meals.
Malayali diaspora
Malayali communities in the Gulf, Singapore, the UK and beyond recreate the Vishukkani and Sadya, keeping the ritual alive far from Kerala.
Vishu Do’s and Don’ts
A few simple customs help keep the spirit of an auspicious, generous start to the year.
Do
- Arrange the Vishukkani the night before so it is truly the first sight at dawn
- Include konna flowers, rice, fruit, coins, a mirror and an image of Krishna
- Let children open their eyes to the kani, guiding them gently if needed
- Give Kaineettam to the young and to those who serve the household
- Share the Sadya with family and offer food to guests and neighbours
Avoid
- Do not let an untidy or unpleasant sight be the first thing seen on waking
- Do not skip cleaning and preparing the home the evening before
- Do not treat Kaineettam as a mere transaction – it is a blessing, given warmly
- Do not overlook elders and helpers when sharing gifts and food
- Do not set off fireworks carelessly near children or dry surroundings
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Vishu in 2027?
Vishu is on Thursday, 15 April 2027. It marks the Malayali solar New Year, the first day of the month of Medam, when the sun enters Mesha (Aries).
When is Vishu in 2026 and 2028?
Vishu falls on 14 April 2026 (Tuesday) and 14 April 2028 (Friday). As a solar festival tied to Mesha Sankranti, its date stays on 14 or 15 April rather than moving with the moon.
What is the Vishukkani?
The Vishukkani, meaning the first thing seen on Vishu, is an auspicious arrangement of golden konna flowers, rice, fruit, coins, a mirror and an image of Krishna. It is set up the night before so it is the very first sight on waking, believed to shape the year’s fortune.
Why is Vishu celebrated?
Vishu is celebrated as the Malayali New Year and harvest festival, welcoming the month of Medam. Its central belief is that an auspicious first sight, the kani, sets the tone for prosperity throughout the coming year.
Which god is worshipped on Vishu?
Vishnu, in his form as Krishna, is worshipped on Vishu. An image of Krishna, often as Guruvayurappan, is placed at the heart of the Vishukkani so the Lord is the first sight of the new year.
What is Kaineettam?
Kaineettam is the Vishu custom of elders giving coins or money to children and younger relatives. It is offered as a blessing of prosperity and is one of the most cherished parts of the morning.
What food is eaten on Vishu?
The main Vishu meal is the Sadya, a vegetarian banana-leaf feast of rice, curries, pickles and payasam. Families also enjoy Vishu kanji, a coconut-rice porridge, and sweet payasam to round off the day.
How is Vishu different from other Indian new years?
Vishu is Kerala’s solar New Year, falling on the same Mesha Sankranti as Puthandu in Tamil Nadu and Baisakhi in Punjab. What sets it apart is the Vishukkani first-sight ritual and the giving of Kaineettam.
However you keep the day, may your Vishukkani open onto a bright and generous year. Vishu Ashamsakal!