Tulsi Maharani tied the knot with Lord Shaligram
Hundreds of devotees participated in the marriage by giving kanyadaan with devotion
Agra. Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha in Kartik month is called Dev Uthavani Ekadashi. On this day, Lord Narayana wakes up after a 4-month rest. The tradition of Tulsi Shaligram marriage on Devotthan Ekadashi has been going on for years. Tulsi tied the knot with Lord Shaligram in Shri Mankameshwar temple on Devotthan Ekadashi. Tulsi Shaligram marriage was performed with Vedic chanting in Shri Mankameshwar temple. On this occasion, Tulsi Shaligram Shobha Yatra was also taken out with great pomp. In the Shobha Yatra organized for the last decade, the temple’s Mahant Yogesh Puri placed Tulsi Maharani, who was decorated like a bride with flowers, on his head and seated Lord Shaligram as a groom on a carriage decorated with flowers. On this occasion, the decoration of Tulsi Maharani and Lord Shaligram was very captivating for the devotees. In the procession, the elephant symbolizing Ganapati was walking ahead and behind him, devotees were dancing and singing with drums and band. All the rituals of the procession were completed before the start of the procession. The learned Acharya worshipped Lord Shaligram and Tulsi with Vedic chanting and performed aarti. During the procession, fireworks were also done on the way. At various places on the way, devotees stopped the chariot of the Lord and performed aarti by showering flowers.
Panigrahan Sanskar was done with Vedic chanting
On the occasion of Dev Uthavani Ekadashi, grand decorations were done in the ancient Mankameshwar temple. Tulsi Maharani and Lord Shaligram were seated in the pavilion. After this, the priest was performing the Panigrahan Sanskar with rituals amidst Vedic chanting. On the occasion of marriage, the devotees gave Kanyadaan to Tulsi Maharani. After the Kanyadaan program which lasted for about 2 hours, the rounds were done. In which devotees like Rajesh-Anju Agarwal, Rohit-Sonia Garg, Rahul Neelima Gupta etc. lifted the stone of Lord Shaligram and his wife took the Tulsi Maharani plant in her hands and took rounds.
The tradition is centuries old
This Dev Uthavani Ekadashi of Tulsi Shaligram marriage. Regarding the celebration of Tulsi Maharani and Lord Shaligram on the day of Ekadashi, the Mahant of the temple Yogesh Puri and the monastery administrator Hariharpuri told that Vrinda had cursed Lord Narayana that he should become stone. Since then, Lord Narayana was transformed into Shaligram. After this, when Lakshmi ji came to know that Narayana has become a stone, she told Banda to become inanimate. After this, Lord Vishnu said that till the leaf of inanimate Vrinda Rani i.e. Tulsi is not offered on his stone, the offerings offered to him will not be accepted. Apart from this, he married Tulsi in the form of Shaligram on the day of Dev Uthavani Ekadashi. Since then, this tradition is still being followed in the temples of Braj.
