Vishu Chal is an important event in the festival of Vishu. In Malayalam language, Chal means channel. On the auspicious day of Vishu, the spade that is used for agricultural purpose is decorated with rice powder and religious prayers done by the family members.
After the prayer, the senior-most male member of the family and others family members along with relatives and friends with the decorated spade and plough enter the rice field. Some of the household who have large agricultural land engage the local priest in this event and all the pujas and rituals are done by him.
In the field, a kind of pancake is deposited by the priest or the head of the family. It is a way of offering thanks to the mother earth for all the yields given by the land. Later small channels in the field known as chal are then made by the family members. After this event, another event is followed by successfully covering the field with green manure and cow dung. In order to grow vegetables such as elephant yam and some tuber crops plus paddy, this filed is later used.
This particular event marks the visit of all the family members along with relatives and friends plus labours together spend the day in their agricultural field. They all indulge in prayer of thanks giving to the land that offered them with food and lead to prosperity. Even from small land holders to large land holders conduct this event on the day of Vishu.