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Deccan Herald » Festivals>>Dhanteras
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November 13 :
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 Uthwana Dwadashi or Tulsi Vivah
Normally is celebrated a fortnight after Deepavali. It signifies the day Tulsi married Lord Vishnu.
On this day, Tulsi `katte' or vrindavan is decorated like a bride. Sugarcane and branches of tamarind and amla trees are planted along with the tulsi plant. Various dishes are offered to Lord Vishnu.
In Karnataka, the day is called Tulsi Habba (festival) while others call is Tulsi Vivah, or the wedding day of Tulsi with the Lord.
One of the legends that surrounds the festival goes thus:
Tulsi came out of the ocean during Amrita Manthan as a younger sister of Lakshmi. She too was devoted to Lord Vishnu and wanted to marry him. But Lakshmi who was already married to him did not like the idea and cursed her to become a plant. Thus the tulsi plant was born. But the all merciful Lord Vishnu took pity and fulfilling her wish declared that when he will be in the form of a saligram she will remain close to him in the form of a tulsi leaf. Therefore even today a saligram will have a tulsi leaf along with it. In front of every Hindu home there will be a tulsi katte in which a plant grows round the year.
Although the prayers are offered to the Lord in Tulsi everyday by watering the plant in the morning and lighting an oil lamp before it in the evening, on Kartik Shukla Dwadashi there will be an annual Tulsi Pooja in the evening when the tulsi katta will be beautifully decorated with clay lamps.
Another legend goes thus:
Tulsi was married to demon king by name Jalandhar. But she prayed to Lord Vishnu that her demon husband would be protected, with the result that no god was able to harm him. However on the request of the other gods, Lord Vishnu took the form of Jalandhar and stayed with the unsuspecting Tulsi. When the truth emerged after Jalandhar's death, Vrinda cursed Vishnu and turned him to stone (Shaligram) and collapsed. From her body emerged the tulsi plant. That is why Vishnu pooja is considered incomplete without Tulsi leaves. Tulsi vivah is celebrated the day after Kartik Akadashi. On this day Tulsi is married to Shaligram or Vishnu.
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