Tulsi Vivah..The marriage ceremony of Lord Krishna

     Tulsi (Holi Basil) is the most sacred plant in Hinduism. Tulsi Vivah is a Hindu ceremonial marriage of the Tulsi plant (Holy basil) to the Lord Vishnu. It falls on the 11th day (Ekadashi) of Shukla Paksha of the Kartik month. This day is also celebrated as Dev Uthani Ekadashi. It is believed that the person who performs the ritual of Tulsi marriage gets as much virtue as one gets from Kanyadaan. 

       The ceremonial festival is performed anytime between Prabodhini Ekadashi and Kartik Pornima. Tulsi wedding signifies the end of the monsoon and the beginning of the wedding season in Hinduism. There is a mythological story behind this ritual.

Mythology of Tulsi Vivah:

    Once upon a time there was a demon called Jalandhar who was a terror to all the world. He had a  wife named Vrinda. Due to her piousness, the demon had secured immortal powers and became invincible. Unless the chastity of Vrinda was challenged, the demon could not be conquered. 

    Even Devtas could not defeat Jalandhar, so they requested Lord Vishnu to find a solution. When leaving for war Vrinda promised Jalandhar that she would do sakalpa for his victory until he would return home. but Lord Vishnu disguised himself as Jalandhar and as she saw him, she left her sankalpa and touched his feet. With her sankalpa destroyed, Jalandhar lost his power and was killed by Lord Shiva and his head fell in Vrinda’s palace. Seeing this she realized it was not her husband but Lord Vishnu. 

    When Vrinda came to know about this, she cursed Lord Vishnu to become a stone named Shaligram and would get separated from his wife. Her curse came true when Lord Vishnu incarnated as Ram and got separated from his wife Sita.  Vrinda then sacrificed herself on her husband’s pyre. After this, Lord Vishnu, converted her soul into Tulsi plant and promised to marry her and that’s how the Shaligram stone married Tulsi plant.

    As per a blessing by Lord Vishnu to marry Vrinda in her next birth, Vishnu in form of Shaligram married Tulsi on Prabodhini Ekadashi. To commemorate this event, the ceremony of Tulsi Vivah is performed.

Celebration Of Tulsi Vivah:

    The marriage of Tulsi with Vishnu/Krishna resembles the traditional Hindu wedding. This ceremony is performed at homes and at temples where a fast is observed on the Tulsi Vivah day until evening when the ceremony begins. It is believed that the soul of Vrinda resides in the plant at night and leaves in the morning. Hence this vivah ceremony is performed in the evening.

Puja Samagri: 

• Kumkum, haldi, chandan 
• Flowers
• Prasad (sesame/Til vadi or ladoo)
• Five fruits
• Panchamrut (a mixture of milk, honey/sugar, ghee, gangajal, dahi)
• Antarpat (a white cloth with red swastik - draw it with kumkum)
• Akshata (Jowar grain colored with haldi) 
• Two betel leaves (vidyache paan) and supari (as a symbol of Ganesha)
• Amla, tamarind, jujube fruit (ber/bor) (you can get it easily in vegetable market)  
  
  
  

   Puja Vidhi:

1. On the day of Tulsi Vivah, Decorate a Tulsi plant like a bride with a saree and ornaments including Mangalsutra, nath (nose ring), toe ring and bangles.  
2. Build a mandap around Tulsi Vrindavan with a sugarcane pavilion. 
3. The groom is an idol or a picture of Lord Krishna (Avatar of Lord Vishnu)  or the Shaligram stone (the symbol of Lord Vishnu). 
4. Decorate Tulsi devi with chunari, flowers and garlands before wedding.
5. At first, worship Lord Ganesha. Put it in taaman and bathe it with water and panchamrut. clean the idol properly and place it on a chouwky and offer Kumkum, haldi, chandan and flowers.
6. Then, put an idol of Lord Krishna in a taaman (a copper/silver plate) and bathe it with water and panchamrut and place it on a chouwky in front of Tulsi vrindavan beside Lord Ganesha.
7. Perform puja of Lord Krishna and Tulsi devi by offering Kumkum, haldi, chandan and flowers.
8. Hold Antarpat (a white cloth with a red kumkum swastik in the center of it) between Goddess Tulsi (bride) and Lord Krishna (groom). 
9. Sing five Mangalashtaka (mangal songs or mantras) and in between sprinkle Akshada on bride and groom while singing mangal songs.  visit this link for Mangalashtak:  Mangalashtaka    
   
10. After Mangalashtaka, hold Lord Krishna in both hands and move it around Goddess Tulsi seven times.
11. At last, Place Lord Krishna near Goddess Tulsi in Vrindavan and shower flowers on them and say "Bor chinch avala, krishna dev savla"
12. Tie a holy thread (cotton thread) between Tulsi and Lord Vishnu’s idol.
13. Offer Prasad along with fruits and flowers, and conclude the Puja with Aarti.

Tulsi vivah pooja perfrom in villages

    It is believed that performing Tulsi Vivah is a very auspicious thing for childless parents. They perform the role of the parent of Tulsi plant and give their daughter Tulsi in marriage to Lord Krishna.

After Mangal songs put Lord Krishna near Tulsi

    

    On this day, Women of the house draws beautiful rangolis and decorate it with diyas in front of their house to celebrate this marriage ceremony. After the completion of puja people burst crackers and enjoy this day with happiness and joy.

Tulsi theme based Rangolis