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Tulashi Bibah

Tulashi Bibah or Tulsi Vivah is a ceremonial marriage of the Tulsi plant to the Hindu god VIshnu or his avatar krishna. Tulsi plant is a holy basil of Hindus.

Tulashi Bibah is performed on the time between prabodhini ekadashi to the full moon of the Kartik Purnima month but usually on the 11th or 12th lunar day. The day of celebration can vary from place to place. It is often believed that tulashi bibah signifies the end of the monsoon and beginning of the Hindu wedding season.

Tulsi is considered as goddess and also wife of Vishnu. Tulashi bibah is performed by taking fasting, decorating the tulashi with sugarcane branch, flowers, coloring and offering fruits.

Story of Tulashi Bibah

Tulsi plant was wife of demon Jalandhar named as Vrinda. Due to the piety of Vrinda and devotion of Vishnu demon Jalandhar was invincible. Even for the lord shiva defeating Jalandhar was impossible. Shiva requested Vishnu to find solution so that he could kill Jalandhar. Vishnu disguised himself as Jalandhar and tricked Vrinda. As her chastity destroyed, Jalandhar lost his power and Shiva was able to kill him. In turn, Vrinda cursed Vishnu to become black in color and to be separated from his wife, Lakshmi. The curse of Vrinda was fulfilled as Vishnu turned into Shaligram stone(fossil) and in his Ram avatar he was separated from his wife sita. Vrinda after cursing drowned herself in the ocean, and Vishnu transferred her soul to a plant as a Tulsi. As per a blessing by Vishnu to marry Vrinda in her next birth, Vishnu in the form of Shaligram married Tulsi on Prabodhini Ekadashi. To commemorate this event the Tulashi Bibah is being performed.

Another story says that Laxmi slew a demon on this day and remained on earth as the Tulsi Plant.