Mon Apr 14 05:27:04 UTC 2025: ## Kerala Celebrates Vishu Amidst ASHA Workers’ Protest
**Thiruvananthapuram, April 14, 2025** – Kerala ushered in the new Malayalam year with vibrant Vishu celebrations on Monday. The festival, marked by the Vishu Kani ritual – a visually appealing arrangement of fruits, vegetables, and flowers – symbolizes new beginnings, prosperity, and abundance. Families across the state participated in the traditional viewing of the Kani, followed by gift-giving, feasts, and fireworks. Major temples, including Sabarimala, Guruvayoor, and Sree Padmanabha Swamy, reported higher than usual attendance, with over 30,000 people pre-booking for the Vishu Pooja at Sabarimala.
However, the festivities were also punctuated by a continuing protest. ASHA workers, on the 62nd day of their sit-in demanding minimum wages, staged a Vishu Kani at their protest site. The protest included a symbolic representation of the Hindu deity Krishna, highlighting their demands.
In a contrasting note, the Kerala Health Department launched an online contribution scheme to aid children with rare diseases, drawing inspiration from the Vishu tradition of gifting money. The scheme aims to leverage the festive spirit of generosity for a charitable cause.
First Piper 