Tulsi plant, one of the sacred plants according to Hinduism is a medicinal plant worshiped for its divine properties. The Tulsi Vivah festival 2023 is an important festival dedicated to Tulsi, symbolized as religious austerity. What does Tulsi Vivah mean in terms of religion, culture, & society? What benefits does the Tulsi plant provide? Read on to learn more.

Why Tulsi Vivah Celebrated?

Tulsi Vivah are very significant because:

1. Spiritual Significance Of Tulsi Vivah: 

The Tulsi Vivah celebrates the wedding of Tulsi (also known as Vrinda, a deity worshiped) to Lord Krishna. It is celebrated on the 12th day of the month of Kartik in the Hindu calendar. Since these 12 days are regarded as sacred especially for marriages, many Hindus get married during Tulsi Vivah. 

According to the history behind the ritual relating to the story of Tulsi Vivah, the Tulsi Vivah Festival is believed to be the ceremonial marriage of the Tulsi plant to the Hindu god Shaligram or Vishnu or to his avatar, Sri Krishna. The Tulsi wedding signifies the end of the rainy season & the beginning of the wedding season in Hinduism. 

The marriage of Tulsi to Lord Vishnu took place in the period of Kartik. Mother Tulsi is ceremonially married to Lord Vishnu amidst huge celebrations, temples & the various Srivaishnava mathematics. 

Madhava Mangalam is the Tuilasi Puja Mantram being chanted on the day. It is believed that offering prayers to the plants & trees after the worship of Mother Tulsi will relieve the evil effects, doshas incurring on the newly married couple & other family members. 

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2. Cultural & Social Significance Of Tulsi Vivah:

The cultivation of the tulsi plant in the home serves religious purposes & connects devotees with nature's creative power. This connection is healing & life-affirming, but its potential health, emotional, social, & cognitive benefits are only being realized in the west, where disconnection from nature & "nature deficit" are common. 

A global movement to reconnect people with nature has arisen out of concerns over nature deficit, sedentary lifestyles, obesity, mental health issues, excessive electronic media use, environmental degradation, wildlife conservation, sustainability, & climate change.

Placing a living tulsi plant at the center of the household can address modern day issues.

Tusi is considered incomplete without a plant in Hindu households, serving both practical & ceremonial purposes. This plant in Hinduism - worshiped as a goddess - is considered sacred in every aspect of the plant, including its leaves, stem, flower, root, seeds, & oil. 

• The soil, which contains beneficial endophytic fungi, is also considered an aspect of the divine. 
• Its clove-like aroma links the householder to the divine & repels harmful insects. 
• Tulsi is also used ceremonially to create "holy water" & to make tulsi malas, strings of beads used for meditation & devotional practices. 
• Tulsi has also been used to combat air pollution, with hundreds of thousands planted around the Taj Mahal in Agra.

3. Having Benefits Of Tulsi Plant:

The tulsi plant has numerous benefits according to Ayurveda, the world's oldest medical system. The following research-based benefits of tulsi plant are:

1. Effective Air-Purifier Plant: The 'Tulsi' plant, known for its oxygen-generating properties, can rival the world's best air purifiers. It provides oxygen for 20 out of 24 hours & ozone for 4 hours. It also absorbs harmful gasses like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, & sulfur dioxide.

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 2. Work As A Liquid Yoga: Tulsi tea, a liquid form of tea, is compared to yoga, an adaptogenic practice that promotes relaxation & wellbeing. Its calming effect leads to clarity of thought & a relaxed disposition, unlike caffeine-containing beverages that can heighten arousal & cause agitation.

 3. Benefits From Mental Stress:  Constant pressures & fast-paced living have drained 21st-century humans' energy. Continuous psychological stress causes toxic stress & illnesses. Tusi is an excellent anti-anxiety & antidepressant plant.

It aids in the overcoming of toxic stress by maintaining a relaxed state of mind. It boosts stress adaptability by boosting memory & cognition. Therefore, the Tulsi plant is recommended by Ayurveda to prevent stress & improve adaptability.

 4. Infection Protection Benefits:  The Tulsi plant has antibacterial, antiviral, & antifungal properties. It prevents most animal-borne infections. It treats urinary tract, skin, wound, typhoid fever, cholera, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, herpes simplex, leishmaniasis, pneumonias, fungal infections, & mosquito-borne disorders. It is also effective for mouthwash infections.

 5. Benefits From Metabolic Stress:  Fast living has created a world of isolated people. Workplace stress & food disorders are additional important issues. Most people have metabolic stress burnout.

Changes in the environment & lifestyle cause metabolic stress, a global problem. Metabolic stress causes disorders including obesity, hypertension, excessive cholesterol, & impaired glucose regulation, leading in 21st-century diabetes.

Holy basil (tulsi) provides anti-diabetic & anti-inflammatory benefits, lowering blood sugar & improving lipids. Additionally, it boosts liver & kidney function.

 6. Benefits From Physical Stress:  Stress, a condition triggered by metabolic, infectious, or mental challenges, affects hormones & physiology.

Tulasi, a multipurpose adaptogenic plant, aids body physiology by fighting biochemical chaos, boosting aerobic metabolism, improving swimming time, & preventing oxidative tissue damage.

Tusi also helps reduce the effects of noise-induced stress in experimental animals, improving immune, ECG, & corticosteroid responses.

 7. Positive Effects From Being Exposed To Toxic Chemicals, Metals, & Radiation:  Tusi has been shown to protect against toxicants like industrial chemicals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, & radiation.

It prevents liver, kidney, & brain injury by protecting against genetic, immune, & cellular damage. Its radio-protective effects reduce oxidative damage induced by radiation, enhancing organ damage & postradiation survival in experimental animals.

 8. Protection & Detoxification Benefits:  Tusi is known for its physiological benefits, including its ability to protect the body from toxin-induced damage due to its high phenolic content & antioxidant properties.

It increases the body's levels of antioxidant molecules & enzymes, protecting organelles & membranes from damaging free radicals. It also enhances liver detoxification enzymes, allowing the body to effectively transform & eliminate toxic compounds.

Tusi also helps prevent cancers by reducing DNA damage & inducing apoptosis in cancerous cells. 

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 Conclusion

 Tulsi Vivah is a symbol for a special celebration that blends mythology & the religiously significant aspects of everyday life. The Hindus' devotion for it indicates people have combined the basic concept with the practical & modern approach on life.

Apart from its religious importance, Tulsi is also known for its exceptional medicinal properties for its potential to treat various ailments to promote general health & wellbeing.