Tulasi pooja is one of the most sacred rituals in Hindu households, performed to honor the holy Tulasi plant, regarded as an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and beloved of Lord Vishnu. Devotees believe that worshipping Tulasi brings blessings of health, prosperity, and spiritual growth.
Many people often wonder how to do Tulasi pooja at home in the right way so their devotion is complete and meaningful. The pooja involves simple steps like lighting a lamp, offering flowers, chanting mantras, and circling the Tulasi plant with reverence.
In this guide, we will take you through the step-by-step process of performing Tulasi pooja correctly, whether daily or on special occasions like Tulasi Vivah.
Also Read: How to Make Panchamrut for Pooja: A Complete Guide
Preparation for Tulasi Pooja
Before beginning the pooja, preparation is important. It ensures that the worship is performed with cleanliness and devotion.
1. Choose the Right Day
While Tulasi can be worshipped daily, Thursdays, Kartik month, and Tulasi Vivah (celebrated after Diwali) are especially auspicious.
2. Clean the Area
Wash and decorate the space around the Tulasi plant. If you have a Tulasi Vrindavan (altar), clean and adorn it with rangoli and flowers.
3. Gather Pooja Samagri
Keep ready:
- Water in a kalash or small vessel
- Haldi (turmeric) and kumkum (vermilion)
- Flowers and garlands
- Diya (lamp with ghee or oil)
- Incense sticks
- Prasad (sweets or fruits)
- Tulasi leaves (to be offered back in prayer)
Step-by-Step Procedure of Tulasi Pooja
Performing Tulasi pooja is simple, yet it holds profound meaning in Hindu tradition. Each step has spiritual and cultural significance, connecting you to divine energy.
1. Cleanse Yourself
Start your day with a bath and wear fresh, preferably traditional clothes. Purity of body and mind is considered essential before approaching Tulasi, who is worshipped as a goddess. Devotees believe that a clean state allows divine blessings to flow more freely.
Women generally perform Tulasi pooja in the morning or evening, but avoid it during periods of impurity (such as menstruation).
2. Light the Lamp
Place a diya filled with ghee or sesame oil near the Tulasi plant. The lamp symbolizes the removal of ignorance and the awakening of divine wisdom. Lighting a diya during Tulasi pooja is believed to destroy negative energies and invite positivity into the household. Many families light this lamp in the evening as a daily ritual to protect the home from misfortune.
3. Offer Water
Pouring water at the roots of Tulasi is both symbolic and practical. It signifies respect to Mother Earth and gratitude for the life-giving plant. Spiritually, water is considered purifying, and offering it daily keeps Tulasi vibrant and flourishing.
In scriptures, it is said that watering Tulasi with devotion is equivalent to performing a thousand yajnas (sacrifices).
4. Apply Tilak
Applying haldi (turmeric) and kumkum (vermilion) to the Tulasi pot or altar sanctifies the plant and the space around it. Turmeric represents purity and prosperity, while kumkum is linked to the divine feminine energy (Shakti).
Some devotees also apply sandalwood paste on the leaves, as sandalwood is cooling and symbolic of peace and devotion.
5. Decorate the Plant
Adorning Tulasi with flowers, garlands, and rangoli reflects honor and joy. On special days like Tulasi Vivah, she is decorated as a bride with a sari, ornaments, and bangles, symbolizing her marriage to Lord Vishnu.
This act of beautifying the plant represents offering our best to the divine and treating Tulasi as a living goddess.
6. Chant Mantras
Chanting mantras during the pooja purifies the mind and strengthens devotion. Common chants include:
- “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” – for invoking Lord Vishnu’s blessings.
- Tulasi Aarti – to glorify Tulasi Devi.
- Vishnu Sahasranama – recited by devotees seeking prosperity and protection.
Even if you don’t know long mantras, simply offering prayers with sincerity holds immense value. Scriptures say that worshipping Tulasi pleases Lord Vishnu instantly.
7. Offer Prasad
Prepare simple offerings such as fruits, sweets, or homemade prasadam like kheer or ladoos. Placing prasad before Tulasi signifies gratitude and devotion. Later, this prasad is shared among family members as a blessing from Tulasi Devi, believed to bring good health and fortune.
8. Circumambulate
Conclude the pooja by circumambulating (pradakshina) around the Tulasi plant three, five, or seven times. Circumambulation symbolizes surrender and reverence. Traditionally, odd numbers are chosen because they represent continuity, devotion, and auspiciousness.
While walking around Tulasi, devotees silently pray for protection, peace, and prosperity in the household. For more guidance on setting up your pooja space, you can also read how to arrange God photos in your pooja room.
Significance of Tulasi Pooja
Tulasi pooja is not just a daily ritual—it is a way of bringing divinity into your home. In scriptures, Tulasi is revered as a manifestation of Goddess Lakshmi and the beloved of Lord Vishnu. Worshipping her is considered equal to worshipping the Lord himself.
- Purifies the Home Environment – The presence of Tulasi is believed to radiate positive energy, remove negative vibrations, and create a sacred aura in the household. Scientifically, Tulasi leaves release oxygen and act as a natural purifier.
- Enhances Devotion – Tulasi is said to be the bridge between the devotee and Lord Vishnu/Krishna. Offering her leaves in prayers strengthens one’s spiritual connection.
- Blessings of Health and Prosperity – Worshipping Tulasi daily is associated with longevity, good health, and harmony in the family. It is believed to protect the household from misfortune and bless devotees with wealth and peace.
Special Occasions for Tulasi Pooja
Although Tulasi can be worshipped every day, certain days and occasions hold special significance:
- Daily Morning & Evening – Lighting a lamp and offering water to Tulasi is a simple way to invite blessings into your home. Many households perform this ritual twice daily.
- Tulasi Vivah – Celebrated a few days after Diwali (on Prabodhini Ekadashi or Dwadashi), Tulasi Vivah marks the symbolic marriage of Tulasi to Lord Vishnu or Shaligram. This festival also signifies the beginning of the Hindu wedding season.
- Kartik Month – The entire month of Kartik (October–November) is considered the most auspicious for Tulasi worship. Devotees light lamps, perform elaborate poojas, and observe fasting to honor Tulasi and Lord Vishnu.
Conclusion
Tulasi pooja is more than a ritual—it is a sacred practice that weaves spirituality into everyday life. Whether performed in its simplest form with just a diya and water or celebrated elaborately during Tulasi Vivah, it nurtures devotion, peace, and prosperity in the household.
Maintaining and worshipping a Tulasi plant is not only a way to honor tradition but also to bring balance and purity into your daily routine. By making Tulasi pooja a part of your spiritual practice, you invite blessings, harmony, and divine grace into your life. Know more about Navratri Pooja Vidhi at Home
Frequently Asked Questions
What need to offer God Tulsi in pooja?
Tulsi leaves are traditionally offered to Lord Vishnu, Krishna, and their avatars like Rama. Devotees also offer flowers, fruits, incense, diya, and prasad along with Tulsi leaves during the pooja.
What do you need for Tulsi pooja?
For Tulsi pooja, you need a diya (lamp with oil or ghee), water, haldi (turmeric), kumkum (vermilion), flowers, incense sticks, and prasad. Tulsi leaves are also offered during the prayers, and the plant itself is decorated with flowers or garlands.
Which god don’t offer Tulsi?
Tulsi leaves should not be offered to Lord Ganesha or Goddess Durga. Tulsi is considered sacred to Lord Vishnu, but certain legends state that it is not acceptable for Ganesha or Shakti worship.
Why did Ganesha curse Tulsi?
According to Hindu mythology, Tulsi once expressed her desire to marry Lord Ganesha. However, Ganesha declined as he wished to remain unmarried. Upset by the rejection, Tulsi cursed Ganesha to have two marriages. In return, Ganesha cursed Tulsi to be married to a demon, later redeemed when she was blessed to become dear to Lord Vishnu.
Can we give Tulsi to anyone?
Tulsi leaves are considered sacred and should be plucked with devotion, preferably in the morning. They can be given to family members as prasad but should not be casually distributed. It’s also advised not to give Tulsi leaves to non-devotees or for non-religious purposes.
Does Shiva accept Tulsi?
No, Tulsi leaves are not offered to Lord Shiva. Instead, Lord Shiva is worshipped with Bel (Bilva) leaves, which are considered most sacred for him. Tulsi remains dedicated to Lord Vishnu and his avatars.