Tulsi Vivah
Information
The Hindus regard Tulsi plant(Basil)
very sacred,as it is beleived to be the incarnation of Mata
Mahalaxmi who was born as Vrinda.Tulsi is venerated as a goddess
in Hinduism.She is often referred to as Vishnupriya, the beloved
of Lord Vishnu and also considered as a wife of Lord Vishnu.
Tulsi vivah is celebrated on the
next day of Kartiki Akadashi(November).The festival of Tulsi Vivah
is celebrated in many households of Goa and Maharashtra.
It is the ceremonial marriage of the
Tulsi plant with Lord Vishnu.This ceremony is performed
any time between the eleventh lunar day of the bright
fortnight of the Hindu month Kartik(Prabodhini Ekadashi) to the full moon of the month (Kartik
Poornima).Generally it is performed on the eleventh or the
twelfth lunar day,which varies from place to place .
The Tulsi Vivah signifies the end of the monsoon season and
begining of the Hindu wedding season.
On this day deliceous sweet
dishes are prepared at home which the house ladies start well in
advance.A parcel of sweets called 'Ojhe' is sent to the married
daughter alongwith the 'Waati'(cotton threads used for lighting
the ghee-lamps)
On this auspiceous day the
tulsivrindavan is painted and decorated as a bride.Sugarcane and
branches of Tamarind and Amla trees are planted along with the
tulsi plant.In the noon, a 'Naivedya'(food offering) is offered
to TulsiVrindavan.
The Naivedya is made up of
rice, puri, kheer of sweet potato,red pumpkin vegetable cooked
with the pieces of sugarcane,amla and tamarind.Tulsi vivah
ceremony takes place in the late evening.Various poha dishes are
offered to Lord Vishnu.Then 'Prasad' is given to the family
members and friends.
This occasion falls soon after
Diwali,hence the people mentain the Diwali decorations and
lighting till the end of Tulsi Vivah.Lot of fire crackers are
burned by the people .
The Tulsi Plant (Basil)
The Rituals
The Tulsi Vivah with
with Vishnu , resembles the traditional Hindu wedding ceremony which is conducted
in temples and houses.A fast is observed till evening when the ceremony
of vivah starts.
It is believed that the soul of Vrinda
exists in the plant at night and leaves in the morning.The bride Tulsi is
clad in a sari with ornaments like ear-rings and necklaces.Sometimes
a picture of a human paper face with a bindi and nose ring is attached to
theTulsi plant.
Lord Vishnu or Krishna,is the
groom,as a brass image or picture or more frequently the Shaligram stone.The image is clad
in a
dhoti.Both Vishnu and Tulsi are given a sacred bath and decorated with flowers and garlands.
Later,both of them are linked with a cotton thread.
Then the main ceremony begins.A white cloth(Antarpat)
is held between the bride and the groom and the priest chants the "Mangal Ashtaka"
Mantras formally complete the wedding.
"Akshatas" (Rice mixed with vermilion) are showered by the attendees on
the couple at the end of the last mantra with the word "Savadhan" ("be careful
new life starts now).The white curtain between the couple is also taken off.The attendees
show their approval to the wedding by applause.
Lord Vishnu is offered sandalwood-paste,sacred threads
and clothings.Tulsi is offered a sari,turmeric,vermilion and a Mangal-sutra,a
necklace worn by married women. This ceremony is mostly performed by women.The
'Prasad' of coconut,sugar-cane, coconut,fruits and groundnut is distributed to
the attendees.
Generally,the wedding cermony is performed at the
cost of a couple who doesn't have a daughter and they act as the parents of Tulsi in the wedding
rituals.The 'Bidai' of the daughter Tulsi (kanyadaan) to Vishnu or Krishna is considered
as meritorious for the couple.
In two of Saurashtra(India) temples, the ceremony is more
ceremonial.An invitation card is sent to the groom's temple by the bride's temple.On Prabodhini Ekadashi,a bridal procession of
"Lalji" an image of Vishnu sets off to the bride's temple.
Lalji in a palanquin is accompanied by singing and dancing
by the devotees.The 'barat' is welcomed on the outskirts of Tulsi's village and
the ceremonial marriage is performed at the temple. At the bride's side, Tulsi is planted in an earthen pot for the ceremony.
Couples anxious for children perform the Kanyadaan
ritual from Tulsi's side,as her parents.Bhajans are sung throughout the night and in the morning the barat of Lalji returns to their village with Tulsi.Loud
music is played with the burning of fire-crackers,throughout the night.
The LegendThe legend behind Tulsi Vivah and its rites are told in the scripture
Padma Purana.The Tulsi plant was a woman named Vrinda, a synonym of Tulsi.She was married to the demon-king Jalandhar.
Tulsi was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu.Her husband,Jalandhar
was very powerful and unbeatable,to the extent that Lord
Shiva also could not defeat Jalandhar.
So Shiva requested Lord Vishnu to find a way out and
get relief.To this request,Vishnu disguised himself as her husband, Jalandhar and violated Vrinda
and Jalandhar was killed by Shiva.The angry Vrinda cursed Vishnu to become black incolour and be separated from his wife.
Thus, he was transformed into the black Shaligram stone.Vrinda then burnt herself on her husband's funeral pyre,immolating herself due to the shame.From
her body the Tulsi plant got emerged.
Later,when Vishnu was incarnated as 'king Shri.Ram',his wife Sita
was abducted by the demon-king Ravan and thus Vishnu was separated
from his wife.
Later,as per his vow,Vishu, in the form of Shaligram,got married
withTulsi on Prabodhini Ekadashi.Hence,Tulsi Vivah is performed and
celebrated to commemorate this event.
One more minor legend says that Mata Lakshmi - the consort of
Lord Vishnu,slayed a demon on this day and rstayed on earth as the Tulsi plant.
