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Indian culture is filled with festivals where we celebrate and spread happiness for one or the other reason. Just 11 days after celebrating Deepavali comes another important festival, especially for the Vaishnavas. It is called differently in different parts of the country namely Dev UTTana Dwadasi, Uttaana Dwadasi, Tulasi Habba or Tulasi Vivah. A day previous, which is called as Dev UTTana Ekadasi, marks the end of the Chaturmaasya. It is believed that for 4 months, from Ashada Ekadasi, God Vishnu slips into yoga nidra and on the day of Karthika Shukla Ekadasi, Vishnu wakes up from His Yoga nidra. This day is also called as Prabhodini Ekadasi or Dev UTTani Ekadasi or Karthika Ekadasi. There is also another popular story that when Vishnu took Vamana avatara to ask for dana or charity from the asura Bali Chakravarthy, Bali agreed to give him three footsteps not realizing that he is Vishnu himself. After receiving daana from Bali, Vamana grew huge in size and started reaping the daana, keeping 2 steps on whole of Earth and all of Sky in all directions. Bali then realized that this person is none other than his favorite God Vishnu himself. With full of devotion, Bali Chakravarthy surrendered to Vishnu and asked Him to keep the third step on his head as there was no other place left. Looking at Bali’s devotion, Vishnu accepted to keep the third step on his head, but before that Vishnu said that He would send him to patala loka and make him the ruler of Patala loka and henceforth, he will be called as Mahabali. Vishnu asks Mahabali to ask for boon that he wished for. It is said that Mahabali then asks Vishnu to reside in his palace as he is Vishnu’s greatest devotee. To this, Vishnu obliges and it is said that during these four months, the chaturmasya, Vishnu goes to reside in Mahabali’s palace and returns to his abode Vaikunta on Dev UTTana Ekadasi. This Ekadasi is also known as Dev Deepavali where we together pray Lakshmi and Narayana, and Lakshmi along with Narayana blesses us with all riches. The next day, Karthika Shukla Dwadasi, is called Uttana Dwadasi or Tulasi Habba or Tulasi Vivah. With some variations, but still the same, there is a popular story behind celebrating Tulasi Vivah. The story starts with Indra and Brihaspati going to meet Shiva where Indra wants to decide once for all that he is greater than Shiva and can be more destructive than him, as he wonders why all pray to Shiva who is basically a God for destruction?! Shiva, wanting to test Indra, stands at the gate of his abode in the guise of a gatekeeper. When Indra and Brihaspati ask the gatekeeper to let them inside, the gatekeeper does not respond to them and pretends to be in meditation. This rages Indra because he was not answered and he starts to foul-mouth the gatekeeper in a very arrogant way. Even as Brihaspati continuously asks him to calm down, Indra keeps on foul-mouthing Shiva. This arrogant act of Indra enrages the gatekeeper and he comes in his true form of Shiva and in an uncontrollable anger, opens his third eye and fires from it to attack Indra. As soon as they come to know that the gatekeeper is none other than Shiva Himself, both Brihaspati and Indra plead for forgiveness realizing the terrible mistake they have done. Shiva says that the fire released from the third eye cannot be taken back. Instead, He directs it to ocean, thus forgiving Indra for his ego. Indra also learns now that the destruction Shiva does is only of all the negativity and the evil things. The krodagni or the fire released from Shiva’s third eye, which has now fallen in the ocean, takes a form of a boy child. This child starts crying so hard that it disturbs God Brahma and He comes to see who this child is, who is crying so terribly which has created alarm of danger to the whole of creation. He sees the child at the shore of an ocean and He picks up the child to comfort it, but the child kicks on Brahma’s chin so powerfully that tears start to flow from His eyes. Thus, Brahma names him as Jalandhara, one who brings water. He then gives the baby Jalandhara to the ocean king and asks him to take care of this child. Brahma also foretells that this child will become a mighty king of asuras and that no deity will be able to defeat him except Shiva. In due time, Jalandhara grows up to be mighty and powerful. At his marriageable age, he is married off to Vrinda, who is a very great devotee of God Vishnu and daughter of another powerful asura Kalanemi, who happens to be maternal uncle of Ravanasura. Because of her great devotion towards God Vishnu, she had enormous amount of yogic powers and also had a boon that her husband could not be defeated until she is loyal to him. Vrinda loved her husband with full heart and soul. And because of this marriage and Vrinda’s love and loyalty towards her husband, Jalandhara became all the more powerful and invincible. Soon Jalandhara defeated all the kings on earth and even heaven came under his captivity. Indra and other devataas then go to Brahma and request him to help. Brahma then says “because he is born out of the fierce anger of Shiva, he can be killed only by Shiva.” Devatas then go and request help from Shiva and Shiva agrees to talk it out with Jalandhara. When Shiva visits Jalandhara, who has now possessed the 3 worlds and is very much more arrogant, he right away starts disrespecting Shiva saying, “being a yogi you do not even deserve to have such a beautiful wife, give your wife to me.” This angers Shiva, as not only turning down the peace offer, Jalandhara also spoke arrogantly asking to give away his wife to him. Shiva then wages war against him with the whole army of Devatas, as they too had to win against Jalandhara to get back their place. In this fierce battle, Jalandhara along with his physical strength, also shows he has mighty powers of illusion. When he sees that the physical powers are not yielding any benefits to him, he uses his illusion power to distract devatas in the battlefield and in middle of the battle goes to Shiva’s abode in guise of Shiva. He tries to trick Parvati and tells that he has returned victorious and killed Jalandhara. Parvati recognizes that he is not Shiva, but Jalandhara. His act enrages her so much that she transforms into Kali and attacks him. Jalandhara realizes that he is no match to her powers and escapes from there. Parvati visits Vishnu and tells him what just happened. Vishnu tells her that, “Jalandhara is invincible because of the powers of his wife Vrinda and he is also destined to be defeated only by Shiva and none other. Vrinda is a very great devotee of me and continuously prays for Jalandhara’s wellbeing and victory each time he goes for war and until he has returned, thus getting rewards for her prayers from me. Until she is loyal to her husband and because of the benefits of her prayers to me, Jalandhara cannot be defeated.” Parvati then tells Vishnu that Jalandhara’s trick should be paid back as it is high time that this arrogant asura should be defeated and also that this is the right time as he is in the battlefield fighting with Shiva. Vishnu, realizing that the time has come for this asura to be defeated, acts on Parvati’s words and takes form of Jalandhara and visits Vrinda who is worshiping Vishnu for the wellbeing of her husband. Vishnu, now in guise of Jalandhara, tells her “I have defeated Shiva and returned victoriously.” Hearing these words, she thanks God Vishnu and in absolute happiness hugs him. Soon she realizes that he is not her husband. At this point when her loyalty is broken and she has stopped praying Vishnu, Shiva thrusts his trishool right into the chest of Jalandhara, thus ending the chapter of a very arrogant asura. Jalandhara’s soul merges with Shiva, from where he primarily came from. Here, Vishnu shows his true form to Vrinda and tells her that actually now Jalandhara has been killed by Shiva. In total shock on knowing the truth, Vrinda curses Vishnu to get the same pain of separation from his spouse and that, as her chastity was destroyed, even his wife’s chastity would be questioned. She also tells him, “even though me being your greatest devotee, you tricked me with such a stone heart, I curse you to become a stone.” Thus cursing Vishnu, she immolates herself. Vrinda’s soul merges with Vishnu. With a very pained and heavy heart that he had to trick his ardent devotee to save the creation from more destruction through this very arrogant asura, Vishnu gives her a boon that she will be henceforth called as Tulasi and she will be worshipped in the form of a plant, and that Tulasi will always be his favorite and always near to him and that any puja or any offering given to Vishnu without Tulasi will never be considered. Thus, Vrinda’s devotion to God Vishnu is also revered. In some versions of this story, after Vrinda’s self-immolation, the trinity Godesses Lakshmi, Saraswati and Parvati, spray seeds on the ashes of Vrinda. These seeds manifest into three holy plants Tulasi, Amla, and Malati. These plants are then forwarded to Vishnuloka as tokens of blessings to Vrinda’s soul. Vrinda’s curse to Vishnu of getting tricked and doubting his wife’s chastity came true when Vishnu took avatara of Rama in the Treta Yuga. It is said that Vrinda’s curse of Vishnu becoming stone also came true in the form of Saligrama. The day on which Vrinda merged into Vishnu, on Karthika Shukla Dwadasi, is celebrated as Tulasi habba or Tulasi vivah. Tulasi plants which is called as Holy Basil, is found in each and every Hindu household and it is worshipped every day. On the evening of Karthika Shukla Dwadasi, Tulasi plant is decorated as a bride. Either a Saligrama or Krishna or Vishnu’s idol is kept inside the Tulasi pot, generally called as brindavana. Lamps are lit on all sides of the Tulasi brindavana. Small branches of Amla and yelache hannu or jujube plants are planted at the back of Tulasi in some parts of India recognizing it as her friends who have come to participate in this holy ceremony. Then the saligrama and Tulasi are worshipped using haldi, kumkuma, chandana, askhate, and different types of flowers. Tulasi and Krishna archana is performed. Variety of sweets, dishes and fruits are offered as Naivedyam. Tamboolam is then offered. Then arati is performed. In some parts of India, the top of amla is chipped off to form as a diya and cotton wicks dipped in ghee are placed in it and are lit in front of the Tulasi plant; 2 amlas per person as calculation and 2 amlas in the name of God. All the members of the family do light this lamp and pray for wellbeing. This festival also holds importance for unmarried girls where they pray for suitable groom and family and to remove any interruption or delay in marriage. Also, married women pray for good relations between the couple. In some parts of India, unmarried boys are made to tie mangalsutra to Tulasi so that they get married soon. Tulasi puja is done on each day in every Hindu household as it brings in luck and prosperity. Having a Tulasi plant at home helps in warding off any evil eye. Tulasi is also one of the highly regarded medicinal herb used to treat fever, many skin problems, hair related problems, eye related problems, insect bites, respiratory problems and also aids in antiaging and weight loss. It is really a very wonderful gift from God to us that this VishnuPriya has come to be with us and protecting us in many, many ways and helping us to lead a healthy and peaceful life. Wishing you all a very happy Dev UTTana Ekadasi and Tulasi puja!