Tulsi or the Basil plant is venerated
as a goddess in Hinduism and sometimes considered a wife of Lord Vishnu. Hence
she is also epithet Vishnupriya, "the beloved of Vishnu". The wedding
of Tulsi plant and Salegram stone signifies the end of the monsoon and the
beginning of the Hindu wedding season. The legend behind Tulsi Vivah and its
rites has been narrated in the Hindu mythological text Padma Purana.
Kartik is a holy month for the Hindus.
Women celebrate a variety of religious festivals in this month. Amongst them, Tulsi
Vivah is one which is the ceremonial marriage of the Tulsi plant (holy basil)
to God Vishnu or his Avatar Krishna. Usually the holy wedding is performed
between the Salegram stone (considered as Lord Vishnu Himself) and the basil
plant. It is believed that by executing this heavenly marriage one can get the
blessings of God.
Legend
As per the legend the Tulsi plant was
a woman named Vrinda. She was married to the demon-king Jalandhar, who due to
her piety and devotion to Vishnu became invincible. Even lord Shiva could not
defeat Jalandhar, so he requested Vishnu to find a solution. Vishnu disguised
himself as Jalandhar and tricked Vrinda. Accordingly, her chastity destroyed,
Jalandhar lost his power and was killed. Yet, after knowing the fact, Vrinda
cursed Vishnu to become black in colour and would be separated from his wife,
Lakshmi. This was later fulfilled when he was transformed into the black Shalegram
stone, and in his Rama avatar, was separated from his wife Sita, who was
kidnapped by the demon-king Ravana. Vrinda then gut herself with holy fire and
turned into a basil plant. Though in disguise, since Lord Vishnu was her
husband for some time people commemorate her wedding in the month of Kartik on
the same day.
Himanshu Guru asked some women about
the details of the ritual that they perform during this Godly marriage. Sarojini
Patra of Bhubaneswar is taking part in Tulsi vivah organized in her home since
a few years. She said, “The marriage of Tulsi with Lord Vishnu resembles the
traditional Hindu wedding. Along with some other women of our locality we
observe the ceremony in our house. A small marriage mandap is built in the
courtyard of the house where the Tulsi plant is planted. We put a clothe or a
saree around the plant and put vermillion and other fancy items in the brick
plaster structure called ‘Tulasi chaura’. The Salegram stone that we regularly worship
in our puja house is brought to the spot amid crunch and cymbal sound as well
as hulahuli (a vocal holy sound made by Oriya women during worships) and the marriage
rituals are performed. The Salegram stone is clad with a dhoti and janeu/paita
after giving it a holy bath. Then it is garlanded. Finally the couple is linked
with a holy thread amid Vedic hymns by an invited priest”.
“I mostly enjoy the rituals of the
festival. It is, you know, like a human wedding. Most of the rites are
identical to an actual marriage. I have not practically participated as a
member of the Tulsi vivah, wedding execution group of women in our locality,
but I watch other women doing it and I enjoy a lot. A white cloth is held
between the bride and the groom and the priest recites the Mangal Ashtaka
mantras. These mantras formally complete the wedding. Rice mixed with vermilion
is showered by the attendees on Tulsi and Vishnu at the end of the recitation of
the mantras and then the curtain is removed,” said Deepsikha Mishra from
Birganj, Nepal.
Sukanti is a newly-wed woman in
Bhubaneswar. She is from Cuttack and Tulsi vivah is observed in her home there.
She is happy that even her in-laws here also celebrating this godly wedding.
She narrated about the interesting things that are done in her house. “Two
couples are chosen to act as the parents of the bride and the bridegroom. An
invitation card is sent to the groom's house from the bride’s house. On Prabodhini
Ekadashi, a bridal procession of Lord Vishnu sets off to the bride's house. The
Salegram sila and an idol of the God and is placed in a palanquin accompanied
by singing and dancing devotees. At the bride's side too preparations take
place to welcome the bride groom carnival and finally the wedding takes place
after which everybody get a full stomach anna bhoga,” she said.