What is the significance?
With the onset of Devutthana Ekadashi or the Tulsi Vivah day, the season of weddings usually resumes in India. Typically, weddings and other auspicious ceremonies including mundan, griha pravesh etc are not held during the Chaturmas period comprising of Shravana, Bhadrapada, Ashwina and Kartika months. However, with this Ekadashi Tithi, the Chaturmas period comes to an end, and people start planning important functions.
According to the mythology, Lord Vishnu, who remained in the state of yogic sleep under the Kshirasagara (cosmic ocean) for almost four months woke up from slumber on this day. It is when Shaligram avatar of Vishnu married Tulsi, the sacred plant with the aim to fulfil the wish bestowed on Tulsi during her previous birth.
On the day of Tulsi Vivah, both Tulsi plant and Shaligram are decked up like a bride and a groom respectively, where all the rituals of an Indian wedding are performed while they exchange the marital vows.
What are the timings of the ceremony?
Typically, the festival is performed anytime between Prabodhini Ekadashi (the eleventh or twelfth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month of Kartik) and Kartik Poornima (the full moon of the month). This year, the day coincides with the Gregorian date ie November 26 in line with the Vaishnava Samrapaday.
However, the Prabhodini Ekadashi Vrat (Devutthana Ekadashi Vrat) will be observed on November 25. This day will also mark the ceremony of Tulsi Vivah as well.
According to drikpanchang, the Ekadashi tithi starts at 2:42 AM on November 25 and ends at 5:10 AM on November 26.