Tulsi Pujan Diwas
{{Afd-merge to|Asaram|Tulsi Pujan Diwas|3 April 2025}}
{{Short description|Hindu festival, 25 December}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox holiday
| holiday_name = Tulsi Pujan Diwas
| image =
| caption = A tulsi plant during the festival
| observedby = Hindus
| date = 25 December
| duration = 1 day
| frequency = Annual
| type = Cultural
| startedby = Asaram
| scheduling = same day each year
| firsttime = 25 December 2014
}}
Tulsi Pujan Diwas is an Hindu festival that is celebrated annually on 25 December. The plant tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum, holy basil) is planted and worshipped on the occasion.{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Hasid |title=Tulsi Pujan Diwas Date, Theme, History and Significance |url=https://www.pratidintime.com/lifestyle/tulsi-pujan-diwas-date-theme-history-and-significance-8450673|date=2024-12-18 |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Pratidin Time |language=en}} The festival was started in 2014 by spiritual guru Asaram. Devotees hold the belief that worshipping tulsi brings blessings from Krishna.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-25 |title=Tulsi Pujan Diwas 2023: Observances and significance |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/information/story/tulsi-pujan-diwas-2023-tulsi-diwas-2023-ritual-2480197-2023-12-25 |access-date=2024-12-25 |website=India Today |language=en}} It has been promoted as an alternative to Christmas.
In Hinduism, the tulsi plant is used for religious purposes. Hindus believe that it brings prosperity.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bhaskar.com/punjab/batala/news/PUN-OTH-MAT-latest-batala-news-020006-714526-NOR.html|title=Tulsi Pujan Diwas will be celebrated on 25th December|date=2017-12-18|work=dainikbhaskar|access-date=2017-12-18|language=hi}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-42478227|title=क्रिसमस पर क्यों मना रहे हैं तुलसी पूजन दिवस}}
Spiritual importance of tulsi in Hinduism
{{Main article|Tulasi in Hinduism}}
Tulsi is revered as a symbol of purity, devotion, and spirituality in Hinduism. It is believed that worshipping tulsi cleanses soul and strengthen the bond with Vishnu or Krishna.{{Cite news |date=2024-12-25 |title=Tulsi Pujan Diwas 2024: Date, Rituals and Significance |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/religion/rituals-puja/tulsi-pujan-diwas-2024-date-rituals-and-significance/articleshow/116647820.cms |access-date=2024-12-28 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}} The plant is also believed to bring prosperity good fortune to homes.{{Cite web |title=Tulsi Pujan Diwas 2024: Date, History, Rituals, Spiritual Importance, And Health Benefits |url=https://zeenews.india.com/culture/tulsi-pujan-diwas-2024-date-history-rituals-spiritual-importance-and-health-benefits-2835697.html |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=Zee News |language=en}}
Celebration
The festival was introduced in 2014 by Asaram, an Indian religious leader. Shri Yog Vedant Seva Samiti{{what|date=March 2025}} organizes the celebration of Tulsi Pujan Diwas annually.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bhaskar.com/punjab/fazilka/news/PUN-OTH-MAT-latest-fazilka-news-022003-650462-NOR.html|title=Samiti organised Tulsi Pujan Diwas in Elementary school|date=2017-12-09|work=dainikbhaskar|access-date=2017-12-18|language=hi}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bhaskar.com/news/PUN-OTH-MAT-latest-batala-news-032516-767611-NOR.html|title=श्री योग वेदांत सेवा समिति ने तुलसी पूजन दिवस मनाया|date=2017-12-26|work=dainikbhaskar|language=hi|trans-title=Shri Yog Vedant Seva Samiti organized Tulsi Pujan Diwas}}{{Cite web|url=https://hindi.firstpost.com/aastha/tulsi-poojan-diwas-why-people-worship-tulsi-on-25-december-is-worship-of-tulsi-pa-177196.html|title=तुलसी पूजन दिवसः 25 दिसंबर को क्यों होती है तुलसी की पूजा, जानें इतिहास और पूजा विधि|last=|first=|date=2018-12-25|website=Firstpost Hindi|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}{{Cite web|date=2020-12-25|title=Tulsi Pujan Diwas 2020: Why it is celebrated on December 25?|url=https://zeenews.india.com/culture/tulsi-pujan-diwas-2020-why-it-is-celebrated-on-december-25-2332816.html|access-date=2020-12-25|website=Zee News|language=en}} Believers commemorate the event by offering water, chandan, sindoor, rice, flowers and prasad to the plant.{{Cite news|url=https://hindi.oneindia.com/astrology/tulsi-pujan-diwas-2017-importance-uses-ocimum-tenuiflorum-puja-rituals-of-this-festival-437762.html|title=Tulsi Pujan Diwas: तुलसी पूजन दिवस आज, जानिए महत्व, इतिहास और पूजा विधि|date=2017-12-25|work=oneindia|language=hi|trans-title=Tulsi Pujan Diwas is today. Know the significance, history and method of worshipping}}{{Cite news |date=2017-12-25 |title=Tulsi Pujan Diwas 2017: Importance & Uses of Ocimum Tenuiflorum & Puja Rituals of This Festival |url=http://www.india.com/festivals-events/tulsi-pujan-diwas-2017-importance-uses-of-ocimum-tenuiflorum-puja-rituals-of-this-festival-2793525/ |work=India.com |language=en}}
The celebration of Tulsi Pujan Diwas is marked by rituals that honor the sacredness of the tulsi plant. Devotees light a diya.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-25 |title=Tulsi Pujan Diwas 2024: Date, rituals, and significance |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/information/story/tulsi-pujan-diwas-2024-date-rituals-and-significance-2655159-2024-12-25 |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=India Today |language=en}} Many devotees donate tulsi plants to temples and plant new tulsi saplings at home. Tulsi Pujan Diwas is a celebration of the profound spiritual, cultural, and medicinal significance of the tulsi plant in Hinduism.
Media commentary
In 2017, the BBC noted calls on social media to celebrate Tulsi Pujan Diwas instead of Christmas.{{cite news |title=क्रिसमस पर क्यों मना रहे हैं तुलसी पूजन दिवस |url=https://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-42478227 |access-date=30 March 2025 |work=BBC News हिंदी |date=25 December 2017 |language=hi|trans-title=Why is Tulsi Pujan Day celebrated on Christmas? (Google translate)}} DailyO's writer said the same year:
Holi or Christmas, Lohri or Eid, are all occasions to make merry, count our blessings, and spread joy. If you erect barriers around festivals, you are essentially limiting happiness. Tulsi has healing and cleansing properties, it is believed to purify the air around it. Hopefully, planting of Tulsi and worshipping it can also cleanse our brains of the toxins of divisiveness, hatred, and small-mindedness.{{cite news |title=A brief cultural history of the recent phenomenon called Tulsi Pujan Divas |url=https://www.dailyo.in/variety/tulsi-pujan-divas-christmas-asaram-21360|date=25 December 2017 |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=DailyO |language=en}}
See also
- Tulsi Vivah, a Hindu ritual involving tulsi