Malayalis ring in New Year with prayers and festive spirit

Keralites welcomed the Malayalam New Year on Saturday with prayers, rituals and festive cheer, marking the beginning of Chingam, the first month of the Malayalam calendar.

Devotees thronged temples across the state to offer prayers, seeking blessings for prosperity and peace in the year ahead.

Significance of Chingam

Chingam, also known as Kollavarsham, carries a special place in Malayali tradition. The day, observed as Farmers’ Day, honours the community’s age-old bond with soil and agriculture.

For generations, Chingam 1 has symbolised fresh beginnings, offering renewed hope after the testing month of Karkidakam.

Fondly called Ponnin Chingam (Golden Chingam), this season is considered auspicious for marriages, housewarmings and other important ventures.

After two years of Onam festivities dampened by heavy rains, Malayalis look forward with optimism, believing this Onam season will truly live up to its golden promise.

Temples filled with devotion

From the famed Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple to the Pazhavangaadi Ganapathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, visuals showed large crowds of devotees performing early morning rituals with family members. Many wore traditional attire, adding to the festive atmosphere.

“We come every year on this day. It is how we begin our year — with prayers for happiness and good life,” said Anjala, a devotee, while speaking to ANI.

Children too joined the celebrations with enthusiasm. “Chingam is very special as it signals the start of our festival season. Onam is near, and we also see visitors from abroad coming home,” said Shika, a young devotee.

Season of joy ahead

With Chingam setting the tone for Kerala’s biggest cultural festival, Onam, Malayalis across the globe have embraced the new year with renewed hope, devotion and the promise of a vibrant festive season.

—  With inputs from ANI