The Vishukkani, a resplendent display of all things prosperous, is the first thing Malayalis wake up to at the crack of dawn on Vishu Day. An idol of Lord Krishna is arranged, surrounded by seasonal fruits and vegetables, traditional utensils and lamps. The kani is strewn with the golden sprinkles of kanikonna flower.
Considerable effort goes into the setting up of Vishukkani. However, now Vishukkani combos and hampers in the market provide an easy alternative. All you need to do is open the box and put together a kani. A number of online platforms have come out with ready-made Vishukkani kits and hampers. From Krishna idols to vaalkannadi (a traditional mirror with a handle), and even manjadikuru (red seeds), these kits include the Vishukkani essentials.
Guruvayur-based online store Arte House offers a standard Vishukkani kit, which includes a paper mache Krishna idol (45 cm), thiru udayada (a fan-like prop made of cloth used in the Vishukkani), brass vaalkannadi, mayilpeeli (peacock feather) and kunnikuru (red coloured seeds). This kit is priced at ₹1,900. But the kits come with various combinations of items.
Pranav MP, an engineer who launched the startup in 2017 as a side hustle, says business has been good. Selling idols made of various materials, seasonal decor and more, he has customers within Kerala and outside and the company is now retailing through Amazon as well. The Vishukkani kits at Arte House start at ₹850 upwards.
Angroos, a Kochi-based online gift boutique, has a range of Vishu kits, gifts and hampers. A basic gift hamper contains brass lamps, coins, set mundu, Krishna idol, artificial kanikkonna flowers, manjadikkuru and ready-to-make payasam. A hamper such as this ranges from ₹2,000 and goes up to ₹13,000. These hampers could be customised too, says Ebin Jose, the general manager of Angroos.
The more elaborate hampers contain wooden tea coasters, coconut shell candles, a wooden souvenirs such as a small wooden caparisoned elephant’s head, wooden spice box, Kathakali mask and a model of a snake boat. Gift hampers created exclusively for women contain jewellery, chocolates, saris and traditional snacks.
Thrissur-based banker-turned entrepreneur Nisha Nair says her Vishukkani kits are aimed at Malayalis outside Kerala. Having spent most of her life outside the State, she felt that a ready-made Vishukkani kit would be an instant hit. “I am surprised to see that we get enquiries and orders from within Kerala as well,” she says. She launched Adukkala Online in 2022 and sold her first batch of Vishukkani kits in 2021. “It was well-received and we decided to add it to our product list,” she adds.
A basic Vishukkani kit from Adukkala Online contains an uruli, konna flowers, thiru udayada and vaalkannadi. The kit is priced at ₹1,999. However, smaller, customised kits are available too.
Being in business for over 20 years, Alappuzha-based Mannar Craft, which sells traditional utensils and decor items, offers Vishu combo sets that are available at their store and online too. The combos that start at ₹3,000 can go up to ₹22,000 depending on the number of items included. A ₹3,000 worth combo has a brass lightweight uruli (about eight inches), lightweight nilavilakku (traditional lamp), brass kindi (a traditional utensil with a spout usually used for storing water), agarbatti stand, brass para, thiru udayaya and vaalkannadi. “The bigger combos usually include nilavilakkus as big as 22-inches,” says Shruti Pillai, sales head of Mannar Craft.
