Tulsi Vivah is Celebration pooja on Ekadasi day is 14 November 2013.
Tulsi Vivah Kartik Shudha Dwadashi is 15 November 2013.
Tulsi Vivah on Kartik Purnima is on 18 November 2013.
Tulsi vivah is a grand festivity that has a lot of significance for Hindus. There is an interesting legend behind the celebration of Tulsi vivah festival. Tulsi is considered to be an incarnation of Maha Lakshmi, who was born as Vrinda in her previous birth. Tulsi was married to a demon king Jalandhar. She offered prayers to Lord Vishnu to protect her husband from being harmed by any God. Several Gods approached Lord Vishnu and requested him to take the form of Jalandhar and live with Tulasi, without letting her know about the truth.To know the complete story, read on.
Lord Vishnu agreed to the request and did as told by other Gods. After the death of Vrinda’s husband, when truth was known to her, she cursed Lord Vishnu and converted him into a stone, i.e. Shaligram and after that, she collapsed. From her body, came out a tulsi plant. It is due to this reason that Vishnu puja is regarded incomplete without the presence of Tulsi leaves. Since then, every year Tulsi is married to Lord Vishnu and the event is known as Tulasi Shaligram Vivah. It is said that the person who performs the custom of giving away Tulsi to Lord Vishnu, considering her to be his own daughter, is considered to earn the credit of performing kanyadan.
Tulsi vivah is conducted on the next day after Kartiki Akadashi. As a part of festivity celebration, tulsivrindavan is adorned like a bride. Along with tulsi, the plants of amla, sugarcane and tamarind are planted. Special feast is prepared consisting of delicious vegetarian dishes. A full meal consisting of puri, rice, sweet potato kheer, moongachi gathi, red pumpkin vegetable is offered to Tulsi Vrindavan in the afternoon time. The ceremony of wedding takes place during evening. Several dishes made from poha are served to Lord Vishnu. Prasad is then distributed amongst all. This ceremonial day marks the beginning of the auspicious marriage season for Hindus.
The tulsi plant is held sacred by the Hindus as it is regarded to be an incarnation of Mahalaxmi who was born as Vrinda. Tulsi was married to demon king Jalandhar. She prayed to Shri Vishnu that her demon husband should be protected, with the result no God was able to harm him. However on the request of the other Gods, Shri Vishnu took the form of Jalandhar and stayed with the unsuspecting Tulsi. When the truth emerged after Jalandhar’s death, Vrinda cursed Shri Vishnu and turned him to stone (Saaligram) and collapsed. From her body emerged the tulsi plant. That is why Vishnu puia is considered incomplete without tulsi leaves.
The very name Tulsi, that which cannot be compared, the “incomparable one”, has spiritually upliftingqualities. Tulsi has been found to possess extraordinary powers of healing.Preparations for the Puja
Tulsi pot
Bright coloured odni forTulsi plant
Sugar cane
Moli, deepak
Food rice, puri, sweetpotato, kheer, red pumpkin, aanvla, tamarind
Suhaag pitari containingsaree, blouse, mahendi, kaazal (kohl), sindoor, bangles, bindi etc.
Dishes
Pooja Process
Tulsi pot / Vrinda devi is coloured and decorated as a bride. Four pieces of sugarcane are tied around the Tulsi pot with moli and bright coloured odni is draped on the Tulsi plant.
At midday, a full meal consisting of rice, puri, sweet potato kheer, red pumpkin vegetable cooked with pieces of sugarcane, amla and tamarind is offered to Tulsi Vrindavan.
Tulsi Vivah ceremony takes place in the late evening. The Pundit and housewives performs the ceremony. Tulsi Devi takes the sacred phera with Saaligram. The Punditji brings the Saaligraam with him. In a basket- saree, blouse, mehendi, kaajal, sindoor, bangles, etc. i.e. suhaag related things are kept. This suhaag pilari is offered to Tulsi Devi and later given to a Brahmini.
Various poha dishes are offered to Shri Vishnu.
Then Prasad is distributed among family members and friends.
Tulsi Vivah is considered highly sacred and auspicious in Hindu Tradition. The plant of Tulsi is considered to be incarnation of Mahalakshmi who was born as Vrinda.
Tulsi Vivah is celebrated on the next day of kartik Ekadashi. It is on this day that Tulsi is married to Shilgram.
Traditional celebrations on the day of Tulsi Vivah include:
Women folk engage themselves in various preparations, including preparation of wide variety of dishes well in advance.
A typical Goan ojhe (load of sweets) is sent to the daughter from her parental home along with jodi (cotton threads used to light lamp while performing aarti)
As it is Tulsi’s Vivah, Tulsi Vrindavan is decorated like a bride on this day.
Sugarcane and branches of tamarind and amla trees are planted along with the Tulsi plant
The food preparation includes only vegetarian food.
At midday, a full meal consisting of rice, moongachi gathi, puri , sweet potato kheer , red pumpkin vegetable cooked with pieces of sugarcane, amla and tamarind is offered to Tulsi Vrindavan
It is during dusk or evening that the actual ritual of Tulsi Vivah is performed.
Different Poha dishes are offered to Lord Vishnu.
The Prasad after the Vivah puja is distributed among al friends and relatives.
One must plant the Tulsi plant at home or forest and after three years one may perform her marriage.
The Auspicious time to perform her marriage according to the Hindu tradition is:
When the sun is moving in the north, Jupiter and Venus are rising, in the month of Kartika, from the Ekadashi to the full moon in the month of Magha, and when constellations that are auspicious for marriage appear, especially the full moon day.
One should first arrange a place for sacrifice (yajna-kunda) under a canopy (mandapa)
Then after performing shanti-vidhana, one should install sixteen goddesses, and do the shraddha ceremony for his female maternal ancestors
For the Vivah, one must call four Brahmins well read in Vedas, and appoint one of them as priest, one as Brahma, one as rishi and the fourth one as Acharya.
One should establish an auspicious water pot (mangala-ghat) under that mandapa according to the Vaishnava rituals followed by establishment of an attractive shalagrama-shila (Lakshmi-Narayana).
During dusk one should install a golden deity of Narayan and a silver idol of Tulsi.
With vasa-shanta mantra two cloths should be tied together, with yadavandha mantra the marriage bracelets (kangana) should be tied on the wrists, and with ko’ dat mantra the marriage should be consecrated
Finally the host along with the acarya, rishi, and others should make nine offerings in the yajna-kunda.
After all the marriage rites and rituals have been successfully performed, the host along with wife and relatives should take a Parikrama around the Tulsi plant and offer food to Brahmins and other relatives.
