Tulsi Vivah तुलसी विवाह

Tulsi Vivah is the ritual wedding of the tulsi plant to Vishnu, who is represented by a Shaligram stone or an image of Krishna. It is held on a date in the bright half of Kartika, usually from the Ekadashi up to the full moon, and by it the four-month period of Chaturmas is considered concluded and the wedding season begins. The plant stands in a decorated pot or a masonry platform in the courtyard, dressed as a bride with a red cloth, bangles and flowers.

The Padma Purana tells the story behind it. Tulsi was Vrinda, the devoted wife of the demon Jalandhara, and her chastity made him invincible. When Vishnu took Jalandhara's form to break her vow, he was cursed to become a stone, which is why the Shaligram is a black stone, and Vrinda gave up her life and was reborn as the sacred plant. Vishnu in turn promised to marry her in that form. The tale has more than one telling, and some regions emphasise the devotion of Vrinda and others the cursing of Vishnu.

In households the marriage is performed with a mandap of sugarcane stalks, a groom's procession in some places, and mangalashtaka verses. In Maharashtra and Gujarat the day is observed with particular care, and the first wedding invitations of the season often follow. Giving Tulsi in marriage is spoken of as equal to kanyadana, which is a traditional reading found in the Puranic texts. Tulsi is a living plant, so watering and tending it well is the real long-term form of the worship.