Tulsi Vivah is the sacred Kartik month festival in which Mother Tulsi is ceremonially married to Lord Shaligram (Lord Vishnu). On Dev Uthani Ekadashi Lord Vishnu wakes from his four-month Yoga Nidra, and with Tulsi Vivah the season of weddings and other auspicious ceremonies begins. In 2026 Tulsi Vivah is on Saturday, 21 November, Kartik Shukla Dwadashi. Below are the shubh muhurat, samagri, an easy puja vidhi for home, mantras, Tulsi Mata aarti and the story of Vrinda.
Tulsi Vivah 2026: date and shubh muhurat
| Detail | Time (2026) |
|---|---|
| Tulsi Vivah | Saturday, 21 November 2026 |
| Dwadashi tithi begins | 21 November, about 6:31 AM |
| Dwadashi tithi ends | 22 November, about 4:56 AM |
| Godhuli and Pradosh Kaal – Delhi | 5:25 PM to 7:49 PM |
| Pradosh Kaal – Mumbai | 5:59 PM to 8:23 PM |
| Pradosh Kaal – Lucknow | 5:13 PM to 7:37 PM |
| Pradosh Kaal – Kolkata | 4:51 PM to 7:15 PM |
| Pradosh Kaal – Jaipur | 5:34 PM to 7:58 PM |
Tulsi Vivah is best performed after sunset, in Godhuli and Pradosh Kaal. These times come from our Panchang engine; your local panchang may differ by a few minutes. Check your city’s sunset on Today’s Panchang.
Which day — Ekadashi, Dwadashi or Purnima?
Traditions differ. Most homes perform Tulsi Vivah on Kartik Shukla Dwadashi, which this year is 21 November. Many families do it on Dev Uthani Ekadashi evening (20 November), right after waking the Lord. In some regions it is done on any auspicious day from Ekadashi to Kartik Purnima (24 November). Choose the day by your family tradition — devotion matters most.
Significance of Tulsi Vivah
The scriptures call Tulsi Vishnupriya, the beloved of Vishnu; no offering to Vishnu is complete without a tulsi leaf. Performing Tulsi Vivah is believed to give merit equal to Kanyadaan — so couples without a daughter also do Tulsi ji’s Kanyadaan. It is also considered auspicious for those whose marriage is delayed.
No weddings take place during Chaturmas. Only after Dev Uthani Ekadashi and Tulsi Vivah does the wedding season begin. That is why in many places Tulsi Vivah is celebrated like a real wedding — with songs, a baraat and prasad for everyone.
Tulsi Vivah puja samagri list
- A tulsi plant in a pot and Lord Shaligram — or an idol or picture of Vishnu or Krishna
- 4 sugarcane stalks for the mandap, banana and mango leaves
- A chowki, red and yellow cloth, a kalash and a coconut
- A red chunari and suhag items for Tulsi ji — bangles, bindi, sindoor, mehndi, kajal, toe rings, alta
- A yellow cloth or dhoti and janeu for Shaligram ji
- Turmeric, roli, sandalwood, akshat, kumkum, mauli
- Flowers, garlands (for both), a lamp, ghee, incense, camphor
- Panchamrit, fruit, sweets, singhara, sweet potato, ber, amla
- Paan, supari, cloves, cardamom and dakshina
Tulsi Vivah puja vidhi at home — step by step
- Bathe in the morning and take the sankalp of a fast or a sattvic day. Those doing the Kanyadaan traditionally fast through the day.
- In the evening clean the tulsi pot in the courtyard, terrace or puja place, colour it with geru and make a rangoli around it.
- Build a mandap of 4 sugarcane stalks around the pot and cover the top with a red chunari or banana leaves.
- Place Shaligram ji on a chowki to the right of Tulsi ji. Keep a kalash of water nearby and remember Lord Ganesha.
- Bathe Shaligram ji with panchamrit, apply sandalwood and dress him in yellow. Apply turmeric and sandalwood to Tulsi ji, drape the red chunari and offer the suhag items — this is Tulsi ji’s shringar.
- Garland both and light the lamp. Do not offer akshat (rice) to Shaligram ji — offer sesame or white sandalwood instead.
- Now the family — traditionally a married couple — takes the sankalp of Kanyadaan and offers Tulsi ji’s hand to Shaligram ji.
- Holding Shaligram ji (or the chowki), take 7 rounds around Tulsi ji while wedding songs and the Mangalashtak are sung.
- Chant the Tulsi mantras below, then sing the Tulsi Mata aarti and Om Jai Jagdish Hare.
- Offer fruit, singhara, sweet potato and sweets, and share the prasad. Give the suhag items to a married woman or a Brahmin.
Tulsi Vivah mantras
महाप्रसाद जननी सर्व सौभाग्यवर्धिनी। आधि व्याधि हरा नित्यं तुलसी त्वं नमोऽस्तुते॥
Mahaprasada janani sarva saubhagyavardhini, aadhi vyadhi hara nityam Tulasi tvam namostute
Meaning: O Tulsi, mother of the great prasad and giver of good fortune, you remove all ills of body and mind — salutations to you.
Tulsi Namashtak:
वृन्दा वृन्दावनी विश्वपूजिता विश्वपावनी। पुष्पसारा नन्दिनी च तुलसी कृष्णजीवनी॥
एतन्नामाष्टकं चैव स्तोत्रं नामार्थसंयुतम्। यः पठेत् तां च सम्पूज्य सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्॥
Vrinda Vrindavani Vishvapujita Vishvapavani, Pushpasara Nandini cha Tulasi Krishnajivani
Also chant “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya”. For Shaligram ji the mantra is “Om Shri Shaligramaya Namah”.
Tulsi Mata aarti
जय जय तुलसी माता, मैया जय तुलसी माता।
सब जग की सुख दाता, वर दाता॥ जय जय तुलसी माता॥
सब योगों के ऊपर, सब रोगों के ऊपर।
रुज से रक्षा करके भव त्राता॥ जय जय तुलसी माता॥
बटु पुत्री हे श्यामा, सुर बल्ली हे ग्राम्या।
विष्णु प्रिये जो तुमको सेवे, सो नर तर जाता॥ जय जय तुलसी माता॥
हरि के शीश विराजत, त्रिभुवन से हो वन्दित।
पतित जनों की तारिणी विख्याता॥ जय जय तुलसी माता॥
लेकर जन्म विजन में, आई दिव्य भवन में।
मानवलोक तुम्हीं से सुख सम्पति पाता॥ जय जय तुलसी माता॥
हरि को तुम अति प्यारी, श्यामवरण तुम्हारी।
प्रेम अजब है उनका तुमसे कैसा नाता॥ जय जय तुलसी माता॥
The story of Tulsi Vivah — Vrinda and Jalandhar
According to the Puranas, Vrinda, born in a demon family, was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. She married the demon king Jalandhar. The power of Vrinda’s devotion to her husband made Jalandhar invincible. He defeated the gods, seized heaven and spread terror across the three worlds.
At the gods’ request, Lord Vishnu took Jalandhar’s form and came to Vrinda. This broke the power of her vow, and Lord Shiva killed Jalandhar in battle. When Vrinda learnt the truth she cursed Vishnu to become stone. The Lord accepted the curse and became the Shaligram stone.
Vrinda then gave up her life with her husband. From her ashes grew a plant that Lord Vishnu named Tulsi. He blessed her: as Shaligram he would always stay with Tulsi, his worship would be incomplete without her, and every year in Kartik Shukla paksha he would marry her. That is how the tradition of Tulsi Vivah began.
Tulsi Vivah rules and precautions
- Do not pluck tulsi leaves on Ekadashi, Sunday or after sunset; pluck leaves for the puja a day earlier.
- Do not offer akshat (rice) to Shaligram ji; offer sesame or sandalwood.
- Always offer suhag items and a chunari to Tulsi ji; after the wedding, give them to a married woman.
- Cook sattvic food at home and avoid onion and garlic.
- After Tulsi Vivah, water the tulsi plant daily and light a ghee lamp in the evening — this is especially meritorious in Kartik month.
Read more on Wikipedia, see the Dev Uthani Ekadashi and Kartik Purnima pages, and our Vrat Calendar.
Frequently asked questions
When is Tulsi Vivah in 2026?
Tulsi Vivah is on Saturday, 21 November 2026, Kartik Shukla Dwadashi. Dwadashi tithi runs from about 6:31 AM on 21 November to about 4:56 AM on 22 November.
What is the shubh muhurat for Tulsi Vivah 2026?
Tulsi Vivah is done in the evening Godhuli and Pradosh Kaal. On 21 November this is about 5:25 PM to 7:49 PM in Delhi and about 5:59 PM to 8:23 PM in Mumbai.
Can Tulsi Vivah be done on Dev Uthani Ekadashi?
Yes. Many families perform Tulsi Vivah on Dev Uthani Ekadashi evening (20 November), and some on any day up to Kartik Purnima (24 November). Follow your family tradition.
Who is Tulsi married to in Tulsi Vivah?
Tulsi (Goddess Vrinda) is married to Lord Shaligram, a form of Lord Vishnu. If you do not have a Shaligram, an idol or picture of Vishnu or Krishna can be used.
What are the benefits of Tulsi Vivah?
It is believed that performing Tulsi Vivah gives merit equal to Kanyadaan, brings happiness and prosperity to the home and removes obstacles in marriage.
