In short
- Tulasi Habba 2026
- Saturday, 21 November 2026
- Tithi
- Kartik Shukla DwadashiKartika Shukla Dwadashi (amanta)
- Fast
- Many fast on the Ekadashi before
- Observed for
- A happy married life and a blessed home
- Utthana Ekadashi
- Sat, 21 Nov · Sunrise 06:21 AM
What is it? The habba of the tulasi plant, on the Dwadashi of the bright half of Kartika.
Why do families keep it? Vishnu wakes from his chaturmasya sleep on the Ekadashi before. Tulasi, dearest to him, is married to him the next evening — and with that, the wedding season begins.
What happens on the day? The tulasi katte is cleaned, painted and decorated; an amla branch stands for Vishnu; the evening puje ends with the wedding and lamps all around.
When to observe Tulasi Habba in 2026
| Dwadashi tithi begins | Sat, 21 Nov, 06:32 AM |
|---|---|
| Dwadashi tithi ends | Sun, 22 Nov, 04:57 AM |
| Sunrise | 06:21 AM |
| Sunset | 05:50 PM |
| Pradosh Kaal | 05:50 PM – 08:20 PM |
| Rahu Kaala — keep aside | 09:13 AM – 10:39 AM |
How the days unfold
- Sat, 21 Nov
Utthana Ekadashi · Sunrise 06:21 AM
Vishnu wakes from his sleep; many fast.
- Sat, 21 Nov
Tulasi Habba · Pradosh 05:50 PM – 08:20 PM
Tulasi puje and the wedding to Vishnu in the evening, with lamps all around the katte.
What Tulasi Habba means
The wedding season opens
No weddings are held while Vishnu sleeps, from Ashadha to Kartika. Once Tulasi and Vishnu are married, the season of muhurtas for weddings opens again.
Why the amla branch
Dhatri (nellikayi) is held dear to Vishnu. In Karnataka a small amla branch is planted in the katte beside the tulasi to stand for Damodara, her groom.
The tulasi katte
Almost every traditional Kannada home has a tulasi katte in the front yard. On this day it is painted with lime and red earth, decorated with rangoli and lit with rows of lamps.
Vrinda and the tulasi
Who is in it: Vrinda, Jalandhara, Sri Vishnu, Shiva
Vrinda was a devoted wife, and her devotion protected her husband, the asura Jalandhara. So long as she remained faithful, no one could defeat him — and he grew cruel.
To end the war, Vishnu took Jalandhara’s form and went to Vrinda. Her protection broke, and Shiva was able to kill Jalandhara in battle.
When Vrinda learnt the truth, she cursed Vishnu to become a stone — the shaligrama — and gave up her life.
Vishnu accepted the curse and blessed her: she would be born again as the tulasi plant, dearest to him, and no puje of his would be complete without her leaf. Every year he would marry her.
What it teaches: Faithfulness is a kind of strength. What is given up in love comes back as something sacred.
Tulasi Habba puja at home, step by step
Getting ready
- 1Clean the tulasi katte; paint it with white lime and red earth (kemmannu).
- 2Draw rangoli around it and tie a mango-leaf toran.
- 3Plant a small amla (nellikayi) branch beside the tulasi.
The puja
- 1In the evening, decorate the tulasi with a small sari or blouse piece, bangles, flowers and a mangalasutra of black beads, like a bride.
- 2Place a shaligrama or a small Krishna idol at the katte, if you have one.
- 3Do a Ganapati puje, then worship Tulasi and Damodara with arishina, kumkuma, akshate and flowers.
- 4Offer naivedya — avalakki (beaten rice) with jaggery and coconut, sugarcane pieces and fruit.
- 5Tie a thread around the katte as the wedding thread, and do aarati.
- 6Light lamps all around the katte — many families light dozens, along the steps and the compound wall.
Closing the puja
- 1Share the avalakki prasada with neighbours.
- 2Leave the lamps burning until they go out by themselves.
- 3Married women exchange arishina-kumkuma.
What to keep ready for Tulasi Habba
Must have
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Tulasi plant in its katte or a pot | 1 | The bride |
| Amla (nellikayi) branch | 1 small | Stands for Vishnu |
| Small sari or blouse piece, bangles, black-bead thread | 1 set | Tulasi’s bridal dress |
| Arishina, kumkuma, akshate and flowers | As needed | Puje |
| Avalakki, jaggery, coconut and sugarcane | As needed | Naivedya |
| Clay lamps, oil and wicks | 21 or more | Lamps around the katte |
Good to have
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Shaligrama or a small Krishna idol | — | The groom, in families that have one |
Family and regional customs
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Kemmannu (red earth) and lime | — | Painting the katte |
Keeping the Tulasi Habba fast
The day before
- Many fast on Utthana Ekadashi, the day before.
On the fasting day
- Ekadashi fast: no rice or grains; fruit and milk are fine for most.
Ending the fast
- Break the Ekadashi fast on Dwadashi morning, after a bath and a short puje.
If a full fast is not right for your health, phalahara (fruit and milk) or a single meal keeps the vrata just as truly. Ask your elders or our pandit.
Good practice, and what to avoid
Please do
- Light as many lamps as you can around the tulasi.
- Share the avalakki prasada with neighbours.
- Water the tulasi every morning from now on, if you don’t already.
Best avoided
- Pluck tulasi leaves on Dwadashi — pick them a day earlier for the puje.
- Let the lamps sit near dry leaves or cloth.
Chants for Tulasi Habba
Tulasi namaskara
तुलसि श्रीसखि शुभे पापहारिणि पुण्यदे।
नमस्ते नारदनुते नारायणमनःप्रिये॥
ಕನ್ನಡ ಲಿಪಿಯಲ್ಲಿ
ತುಲಸಿ ಶ್ರೀಸಖಿ ಶುಭೇ ಪಾಪಹಾರಿಣಿ ಪುಣ್ಯದೇ।
ನಮಸ್ತೇ ನಾರದನುತೇ ನಾರಾಯಣಮನಃಪ್ರಿಯೇ॥
tulasi śrīsakhi śubhe pāpahāriṇi puṇyade| namaste nāradanute nārāyaṇamanaḥpriye||
What it means: Tulasi, friend of Lakshmi, auspicious one who takes away wrongs and gives merit, praised by Narada and dear to Narayana’s heart — I bow to you.
Tulasi Habba from region to region
Karnataka
Amla branch beside the tulasi, avalakki naivedya and rows of lamps; in Udupi, the Laksha Deepotsava season begins at the Krishna Matha.
Maharashtra and Gujarat
Tulsi Vivah is a full wedding, with a mandap of sugarcane and mangalashtakas sung.
North India
Dev Uthani Ekadashi — Vishnu is woken with songs, and weddings begin again.
Have the Tulasi Habba puja done for you
Two ways to do it. At a temple: the pandit takes your family’s name and gotra in the sankalpa and sends you the photos and video. At home: a pandit from our panel comes to you with the vidhi, and you sit for the puja yourself.
Where this comes from
- Padma Purana and Brahmavaivarta Purana traditions for Vrinda and the tulasi.
- Karnataka household practice of Utthana Dwadashi, as kept by our pandits’ families.
- Udupi Sri Krishna Matha calendar for the Deepotsava season.
How we work out the dates: Stuti Mandir’s own panchanga engine places the Sun and Moon (Lahiri ayanamsa) and checks the tithi against sunrise, sunset and moonrise in Bengaluru, in IST. A printed panchanga may differ by a minute or so. Where your family’s panchanga or your purohita says otherwise, go with them.
Questions devotees ask us
When is Tulasi Habba 2026?
Saturday, 21 November 2026. In Bengaluru, Kartika Shukla Dwadashi (amanta; Kartik Shukla Dwadashi in the North Indian count) begins Sat, 21 Nov, 06:32 AM and ends Sun, 22 Nov, 04:57 AM IST.
Will Mysuru and Delhi keep Tulasi Habba on the same day?
Mostly yes. But the sun rises and sets at different times in different towns, and a habba is kept on the day its tithi is running at the right hour — so timings shift, and once in a while the date does too. Change the town above to see yours.
Is Tulasi Habba on Ekadashi or Dwadashi?
In Karnataka it is on Dwadashi, the day after Utthana Ekadashi. Some regions hold Tulsi Vivah on Ekadashi itself.
Can I keep the tulasi wedding in a flat?
Yes — a tulasi in a pot on the balcony is enough. Place the amla branch in the same pot, and light lamps around it.