Tulsi Vivah
Tulsi or the basil plant is considered
highly sacred in Hinduism and is one of the most worshipped plants.
It holds a great significance not only
in rituals but also holds medicinal values.
Tulsi Vivah or the marriage of Tulsi
with Bhagwan Vishnu or His Bhagwan Krishna Avatar is celebrated on the
Prabodhini Ekadashi, the eleventh day of Shukla Paksha or the twelfth day in
the Hindu month of Kartik.
The day signifies the end of the monsoon
month and the beginning of the Hindu wedding season.
Legend behind Tulsi Vivah:
A pious girl named Vrinda born in the
Asura clan to Kalanemi who was a great devotee of Bhagwan Vishnu.
Her husband Jalandhar, the King of
asuras, became invincible by defeating the Devas, due to the penance of his
pious wife Vrinda.
Bhagwan Vishnu then took the form of
Jalandhar and went in front of Vrinda who invited him to sit beside her.
When Vrinda touched Jalandhar’s feet she
recognised that it was not Jalandhar. Bhagwan Vishnu then took His real form
which angered Vrinda as she did not expect Bhagwan Vishnu to cheat her this way
and break her chastity.
Vrinda angrily cursed Bhagwan Vishnu to
turn into a stone.
But when the Devas requested Vrinda to
not turn Bhagwan Vishnu into a stone, she reduced her curse.
She said that Bhagwan Vishnu would return to earth as "Shaligrm", a form of Bhagwan Vishnu.
She ended her life as her purity was
maligned which resulted in the killing of the Asura Jalandhar.
Bhagwan Vishnu was pleased with her
devotion.
He blessed Vrinda that His worship will be
considered to complete only when Vrinda is a part of it and even after herdeath she will remain on earth in the form of a Tulsi Plant and will function as life giving plant. He also declared that whenever somebody will offer Him a Tulsi leaf
with full devotion He will bless them.
As per her prayers, she was married to Bhagwan Vishnu in this form. Since then, worship of tulsi, offering of tulsi for Bhagwan Vishnu and Tulsi Vivah came to be practiced by the devotees.
Tulsi Vivah is celebrated on the Shukla
Paksha Ekadashi in the Kartik month.
The rituals performed on the day are the
same as that of a Hindu wedding.
The ceremony is performed either at home
or at temples.
A mandap is installed around the
courtyard where the Tulsi plant is planted.
The Tulsi Vrindavan is decked up as a
bride with red saree, jewellery, and flowers. Some people even attach a paper
face to the Tulsi plant.
The groom is a brass idol or a picture
of Bhagwan Vishnu or Bhagwan Krishna.
The Vigraha or the picture of Bhagwan is
draped in a dhoti and decorated with flowers. During the ceremony, Bhagwan
Vishnu and Tulsi, are tied together with a cotton thread also called as Mala.
In Maharashtra and Goa, Mangala Ashtak (mantras
sung during the marriage ceremony) is recited by the priests by holding a white
cloth between the bride and the groom. Akshada, rice coloured with vermilion,
haldi, and kumkum, are showered on the couple and later the white cloth is
removed signifying the approval to the wedding.
Sugarcane, tamarind, fruits, and puffed
rice are offered as Naivedya to Tulsi and later distributed as Prasad.
Tulsi is offered saree, vermilion, and
Mangalsutra while Bhagwan Vishnu is offered men’s clothing, sacred thread and
sandalwood.
In Goa Tulsi Vivah is called Vhadli
Diwali (Big Diwali)
Married women (Suhasinis) of the house burn
Jodvi (365 X 2 wicks of cotton) and pray for good health and long life of their
husbands.
Cuisine is vegetarian as same as that is
prepared for a wedding.
Celebration:
Tulsi Vivah is celebrated on the Shukla
Paksha Ekadashi in the Kartik month.
The rituals performed on the day are the
same as that of a Hindu wedding.
The ceremony is performed either at home
or at temples.
A mandap is installed around the
courtyard where the Tulsi plant is planted.
The Tulsi Vrindavan is decked up as a
bride with red saree, jewellery, and flowers. Some people even attach a paper
face to the Tulsi plant.
The groom is a brass idol or a picture
of Bhagwan Vishnu or Bhagwan Krishna.
The Vigraha or the picture of Bhagwan is
draped in a dhoti and decorated with flowers. During the ceremony, Bhagwan
Vishnu and Tulsi, are tied together with a cotton thread also called as Mala.
In Maharashtra and Goa, Mangala Ashtak (mantras
sung during the marriage ceremony) is recited by the priests by holding a white
cloth between the bride and the groom. Akshada, rice coloured with vermilion,
haldi, and kumkum, are showered on the couple and later the white cloth is
removed signifying the approval to the wedding.
Sugarcane, tamarind, fruits, and puffed
rice are offered as Naivedya to Tulsi and later distributed as Prasad.
Tulsi is offered saree, vermilion, and
Mangalsutra while Bhagwan Vishnu is offered men’s clothing, sacred thread and
sandalwood.
In Goa Tulsi Vivah is called Vhadli
Diwali (Big Diwali)
Married women (Suhasinis) of the house burn
Jodvi (365 X 2 wicks of cotton) and pray for good health and long life of their
husbands.
Cuisine is vegetarian as same as that is
prepared for a wedding.
