Tuluvere Bisu Barba
Paggu sakramanam is the beginning of the New Year for the Tuluvas. Paggu sankramana is celebrated on ‘Bisu Festival’ by the Tuluvas. This clearly shows that from the beginning itself they used to worship sun God. That is why it is called as “Saura Yugadi”. Bunts prepare special and delicious foods especially for the day of Bisu. ‘Payasum’ and soud guard curry is the symbol of life’s sweetness and sorrow. They also used to wear new dresses to celebrate the Bisu festival.
Bisu Kani:
The most important event in Bisu is the kani, which literally means “the first thing seen on the day of Bisu after waking up”. The kani consists of a ritual arrangement of auspicious articles like raw rice, fresh lemon, golden cucumber, betel leaves, arecanut, metal mirror, yellow flowerskonna (Cassia fistula), and a holy text and coins, in a bell metal vessel called uruli in the puja room of the house. A lighted bell metal lamp is also placed alongside. This is arranged the night before Bisu. On Bisu , the custom is to wake up at dawn and go to the puja room with eyes closed so that the kani is the first sight in the new season. Reading verses from the Hindu Holy book Ramayanam after seeing the “kani” is considered auspicious. It is also believed that the page of the Ramayanam which is opened up will have a bearing on one’s life in the coming year.
From (WTN Mangalore)
