Tulsi Vivah is one of the most prominent festivals in Hindu Mythology. Plants, trees, and Mother Nature hold a vital position in the same. Similarly, Tulsi (basil plant) is considered a Holy Plant.
Every alluring Hindu festival follows the track of a startling story. Therefore, one such amazing ritual is Tulsi Vivah. Furthermore, the event of Tulsi Vivah is the ritual marriage of the Holy Tulsi plant with Lord Krishna, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
The ceremony of Tulsi Vivah is the significance of the end of monsoon and rainy days. Alongside this, it signifies the beginning of wedding season in the Hindu religion.
In accordance with the Hindu calendar, the celebration of Tulsi Vivah falls between the eleventh or twelfth lunar day in the month of Kartik.
As a matter of fact, it is an annual one-day festival that falls on the Prabodhini Ekadashi and ends on Kartik Poornima. In general, the festival takes place in the month of October or November according to the Gregorian calendar.
In several Hindu communities, the celebration takes place for a period of five days. However, the dates and rituals of the festival vary from one region to another.
The term Tulsi Vivah means the marriage of Tulsi plant.
Here, in the country of India, people worship in front of Tulsi to seek the wellbeing of their families.
In India, Tulsi is a plant which every family keeps in their house for uncountable good reasons. Not only the plant is considered holy but also an integral part of all the holy practices.
In Hindu religion, the plant of Tulsi signifies purity, wellbeing, and prosperity. Since the ancient time, it is famous for the viewable medical traits. However, in the Hindu community, people worship her in the form of a supreme deity.
In India, people believe Tulsi to be an incarnation beloved wife of Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi. Therefore, the festival observes a viewable celebration across the rural and urban areas of the country.
Especially, a woman who is single and seeking for a good husband and people who wish to gain a child, perform the rituals of Tulsi Puja with tremendous faith and obeisance.
The celebration of Tulsi Vivah is a ceremonial commemoration that rejoices the traditions of a Hindu wedding.
It is a festival that resembles the pious tradition of Hindu nuptials of olden times. On this day, people across celebrate the marriage of Tulsi Mata (Goddess Tulsi) and Shree Krishna.
The festival is celebrated in homes by observing fasts, chanting holy Mantras, and worshipping Lord Krishna and Goddess Tulsi. Devotees observe a strict fast till the evening when the marriage ceremony begins.
The ceremony commonly takes place in the courtyard of a house because, in accordance with the Hindu tradition, the people plant Tulsi in their courtyard. People hold a strong belief that the soul of Vrinda resides in the plant of Tulsi at night and leaves every morning. Thus, the area is known as Tulsi Vrindavan.
The entire family prepares for the ceremony in the day. Later, in the evening a mandap is set around the holy Tulsi plant. People decorate their Tulsi as a bride in shining saree and beautiful ornaments.
With the faith of embellishing a bride, people attach a paper face to the plant of Tulsi. Nevertheless, they put a bindi, nose ring, and other enhancement. Nonetheless, they decorate a brass worship idol of Lord Krishna along with Goddess Tulsi. The worship idol wears a dhoti and mala.
Afterward, devotees conduct the ceremony with the exchange of cotton thread which they call “Varmala” and then link the couple with the Mangalsootra, a necklace that the groom ties in the neck of the bride to complete the wedding.
According to Hindu Mythology, there are several stories in the account of the Tulsi Vivah celebration. The plant of Tulsi has a special mention in curing numerous sicknesses. However, in the Hindu religion, Tulsi has significance similar to Goddesses.
The legends after the festival of Tulsi Vivah are mentioned in the sacred writing of Padma Purana. In Hindu customs, people pray to Tulsi as the wife of Lord Vishnu. She is often known to people as Vishnupriya, which means “beloved to Lord Vishnu”.
In accordance with the Purana and Hindu mythology, the plant of Tulsi is a woman, Vrinda. Also, her husband Asura King, Jalandhar becomes invincible because of her deep devotion to Lord Vishnu.
When Lord Shiva fails to defeat Jalandhar, he requests Lord Vishnu who is the preserver in the Trinity, to discover a way out.
Upon this, Lord Vishnu disguises himself in the form of Jalandhar and tricks Vrinda by touching her. As a result, she loses her chastity and she realizes Lord Vishnu not being her husband Jalandhar. Meanwhile, Jalandhar loses his powers and Lord Shiva slays him.
Leading from this, hurt and sad Vrinda curses Lord Vishnu for separation from his wife Lakshmi and drowns herself in the ocean. Therefore, this makes Lord Vishnu transform her soul into a Tulsi plant.
Furthermore, he also marries her in form of Shaligram. Thus, the marriage of Shaligram with Tulsi on Prabodhini Ekadashi is commemorated on the occasion of Tulsi Vivah.
As a matter of fact, the curse of Vrinda occurs in the life of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Thus, Shree Rama has to spend fourteen years in exile and meanwhile demon King Ravana abducts his wife Goddess Sita.
This makes Lord Vishnu spend a long duration of time in disjointing from his wife.
There are numerous advantages of Tulsi Vivah rituals. A few of those are as follows-
In India, marriages are a grand affair that involves tremendous social gatherings. Therefore, on one such occasion, delicious foodstuffs are constant.
Speaking of which, here are a few suggestions on what you can cook on the occasion of Tulsi Vivah to make add an allure on the table.
Sweets- Gulab Jamun, Boondi Laddoo, Badam Halwa, and Kheer.
Drinks- Lassi, Chaach, Jaljeera, Fruit Juice, and Sherbat.
Snacks- Namak Para, Ghughni, Paneer Tikka, Papdi Chaat, and Besan Sev.
Meals- Malai ki Sabzi, Palak Paneer, Aloog Gobi, Puri, and Veg Pulao.
In point of fact, Tulsi is the symbol of health, purity, and spiritual goodness. Therefore, Tulsi Vivah gives us a lesson that God loves purity in the form of quality in a being.
Furthermore, the marriage of purity and God gives a message of amalgamation of two prominent components to attain eternal embodiment. Thus, the holy plant of Basil guides a person who wishes to walk on the path of spirituality.
Also, the festival of Tulsi Vivah tells us how Goddess lives in the universe in the form of universal components.
This year, the festival of Tulsi Vivah Falls on Monday, 15th November. Also, dates for Tulsi Vivah Next Four Years-
| Day | Date | Year |
| Thursday | 26th November | 2020 |
| Monday | 15th November | 2021 |
| Saturday | 5th November | 2022 |
| Friday | 24th November | 2023 |
| Wednesday | 13th November | 2024 |
These were some major details about the festival of Tulsi Vivah. Also, may like to know about Maha Shivratri – The Immersing day inChanting of Neelkanth.
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