Tulsi Vivah celebrations mark the end of Diwali festivities today

Keeping up with the spirit of the festive season, Mumbaikars will on Wednesday celebrate Tulsi Vivah, a wedding ceremony of​ the​ tulsi plant. Tulsi Vivah is celebrated on the last day of Diwali every year.

This is a day when families and societies get together to celebrate the last day of the festival by performing Maharashtrian wedding rituals for the tulsi plant.

“Two days before the Tulsi Vivah, we shop for all the wedding materials for the festival. For the last few decades, my family has been celebrating Tulsi Vivah. This day is considered as the beginning of the wedding season, according to Hindu calendar,” said Priyanka Jadhav, a resident of Vile Parle.

For over 15 years, the Harharwalal society located opposite Ganesh Talkies in Lalbaug has been celebrating this festival. The residents start preparing for it a month in advance. 

Akshay Pange, a resident of Lalbaug society, said,“Over 250 families come together for the wedding. Every year, on the first day of Diwali we have a tradition to put up a poster of the wedding invitation card outside the society compound to invite people. 

We also organise Haldi ceremony a day before the wedding. By celebrating it in a traditional way, we want the families in the society to unite and celebrate our culture.”

Subhangi Rane, a resident of Dadar, said, “We decorate the peripherals of the tulsi plant with colourful rangoli and other decorative items before starting the wedding ceremony. A human figure is decorated as a bride and is attached to the plant. We invite neighbours for the celebration and serve food after the wedding.”