Tulsi Vivah is a small wedding held at home or in the temple, with the tulsi plant as the bride and Vishnu, as a Shaligram stone or an image of Krishna, as the groom. It closes the four months of Chaturmas, when Vishnu is said to sleep, and many families treat it as the opening of the wedding season.
In 2026 Tulsi Vivah falls on Saturday 21 November 2026 in India, the Dwadashi after Dev Uthani Ekadashi (Friday 20 November 2026). Some families hold it on the Ekadashi evening itself, and some on any day up to Kartik Purnima (Tuesday 24 November 2026). The Tulsi Vivah page has the date and the Dwadashi times for 82 cities. Follow your family’s day.
Sugar cane, a red chunri and a Shaligram: the samagri
| Item | Use |
|---|---|
| A tulsi plant in a pot | The bride |
| A Shaligram stone, or a small image or picture of Vishnu or Krishna | The groom |
| Four or more sugar cane stalks | The mandap around the pot |
| A red chunri or cloth, bangles, a bindi, sindoor, a small mirror and comb | The bride’s shringar |
| A yellow cloth and a sacred thread | For the groom |
| Two garlands and loose flowers | The exchange of garlands, and decoration |
| Kumkum, turmeric, rice (akshat), sandal paste | Tilak and offerings |
| A ghee lamp, incense, camphor | Worship and aarti |
| A kalash with water, mango leaves and a coconut | The kalash |
| Panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar) | Bathing the Shaligram |
| Seasonal fruit such as amla, ber and water chestnut, and sweets | Offering and prasad |
| A coin or a small gift | The kanyadaan |
Nothing on the list is essential except the plant and a sincere prayer. Use what you have.
The wedding, step by step
- In the evening, clean the place, set the tulsi pot in the courtyard, on the balcony or in the puja room, and draw a rangoli in front of it.
- Tie the sugar cane stalks around the pot to make the mandap, with a garland or a cloth across the top.
- Dress the tulsi as a bride: wrap the red chunri round the pot, and add bangles, a bindi and a little sindoor.
- Place the Shaligram or the image of Vishnu beside the pot on a small seat or plate, on a yellow cloth.
- Set the kalash, light the lamp, and worship Ganesha first. Take the sankalp: say your name, the day, and that you are doing Tulsi Vivah.
- Bathe the Shaligram with panchamrit and then water, wipe it dry, and offer sandal paste, yellow cloth and flowers. Offer kumkum, turmeric and flowers to the tulsi.
- Join the two with a thread or a cloth tied between them (gathbandhan), and exchange the garlands.
- The family elder or a priest sings the mangalashtak, the verses sung at a wedding. In many families someone carries the Shaligram around the tulsi pot seven times, for the seven rounds.
- The family that has raised the plant gives the bride away (kanyadaan) with a coin or a small gift.
- Do the aarti, offer the sweets and fruit, and share the prasad with neighbours.
Many families chant “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” through the puja. Customs differ by region and family, and a priest may add more steps; follow your family’s way.
Fasting on the day
Some families fast until the wedding is over, and some keep the Ekadashi fast the day before and break it on this day. A fast is a personal choice. Anyone with a health condition, or who is pregnant, should ask a doctor first; a day kept in prayer, without a fast, is a full observance.
Vrinda, Jalandhara and the Shaligram
The story behind the wedding is that of Vrinda, the devoted wife of the asura king Jalandhara, whose faithfulness made him unbeatable. Vishnu took Jalandhara’s form to break her vow, and she cursed him to become a stone, the Shaligram. The tulsi plant grew where she died, and Vishnu promised to marry her every year. The Dev Uthani Ekadashi page tells the story at more length, and the details vary by region.
Frequently asked questions
↳ Tulsi Vivah 2026 kab hai? (When is Tulsi Vivah in 2026?)
Tulsi Vivah 2026 is on Saturday 21 November 2026 in India: all 39 Indian cities on this site list it on Saturday 21 November. Dwadashi runs from 6:32 am on Saturday 21 November to 4:57 am on Sunday 22 November. Some families hold it on Dev Uthani Ekadashi, Friday 20 November 2026.
↳ What samagri is needed for Tulsi Vivah?
A tulsi plant, a Shaligram or an image of Vishnu or Krishna, sugar cane stalks for the mandap, a red chunri and bangles for the bride, a yellow cloth for the groom, two garlands, kumkum, turmeric, rice, a lamp, sweets and seasonal fruit. Only the plant and a prayer are essential.
↳ Can Tulsi Vivah be done without a Shaligram?
Yes. A small image or a picture of Vishnu or Krishna can take the place of the Shaligram.
↳ Who does the kanyadaan in Tulsi Vivah?
Usually the family that has looked after the tulsi plant acts as the bride's family and gives her away. In some families a couple without a daughter takes on the kanyadaan.
↳ Can Tulsi Vivah be held in a flat?
Yes. A tulsi pot on a balcony or a windowsill, a few stalks of sugar cane, a lamp and sweets are enough.