whole day is spent more or less in mirth and festivity and a light supper closes the day’s proceedings.
In Malabar, the New Year’s Day festivities are observed on a very grand scale. On New Year’s eve all the gold coins available in the house, all gold jewels, all kinds of auspicious fruits and flowers and everything considered to be good to look at are placed in the room set apart for the worship of the family god. The Karnavan who is the head of the family first opens this room between 4 and 5 on New Year’s morn and worships with a lighted lamp in his hand all these articles. Then every member of the house one after the other goes to the front of the room with his or her eyes shut and opens them when arrived at the proper spot to take a sight of the auspicious articles collected. The Karnavan—head of the family—presents each with something or other,—coins, jewels, flowers, fruits, etc. This is the chief difference between the Malayalis and other Hindus as regards the observance of the New Year’s festivities. And every Hindu takes care to see an auspicious sight on the New Year’s morn whether he is a Malayali or other Hindu.
