Tulsi

 Tulsi - The Holy Basil

  Introduction

   Tulsi, the plant that has been regarded sacred by Hindus for many years has a special place in my life. Since childhood, I have always come across Tulsi in our homes. Tulsi is offered to Hindu Deities at homes and at temples. Tulsi is also popular for its medicinal values.The magical and soothing smell of tulsi has such calming effects on anyone in stress or strain. The ingestion of these leaves either in the form of a concoction or chewing them as is can bring some instant relief for many minor ailments.

  Mythological significance:

The name Tulsi with Vrinda (a synonym of the Tulsi plant) and in this legend, Tulsi is distinct from Lakshmi. She was daughter of Kalanemi, an asura. Vrinda was very pious and a great devotee of god Vishnu. Jalandhara , a demon born from lord Shiva's rage, married her. After Jalandhara took control of the three realms, he had a conflict with lord Shiva. To protect her husband from death, Vrinda performed a penance which made him immortal.

The later part of the story concentrates on the tale of Vishnu destroying Vrinda's chastity to lead to the death of Jalandhara by Shiva. The legend ends with Vrinda cursing Vishnu to become a stone, turning him the Shaligram stone (which are found only in the Kali Gandaki River of Nepal) and Vishnu transforming Vrinda into the Tulsi plant. In a variant, Vrinda immolated herself in her husband's funeral pyre (see sati) but Vishnu ensured that she got incarnated in the form of tulsi plant on the earth. In both versions, she gained the status of a goddess named Tulsi, while her earthly form is the Tulsi plant.

   Botanical name: Ocimum sanctum L. or Ocimum tenuiflorum L) is a variety of Basil (Botanical Name: Ocimum basilicum).

 

   Place of origin: It is an aromatic perennial plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and widespread as a cultivated plant throughout the Southeast Asian tropics.

    Tulsi (Sanskrit:-Surasa) has been used in Ayurveda and Siddha practices for its supposed treatment of diseases. For centuries, the dried leaves have been mixed with stored grains to repel insects.

According to Ayurvedic texts, the three different types of tulsi are: rama (green leaf) tulsi, shyama (purple leaf) tulsi, and vana (wild leaf) tulsi. Although all three types of tulsi have their uses in Ayurveda, green leaved rama-tulsi is the most widely used. The fragrance of the leaves is quite attractive and the taste is excellent, especially when the dried leaves are brewed in tea.

Rama Tulsi

Rama tulsi is recognized by bright green colour of the leaves. It is the most planted Tulsi in the household. It does not require much care and is easy to grow even in harsh sunlight or low temperature. Rama tulsi has a milder taste than Krishna tulsi.

Rama Tulsi

Krishna Tulsi

Krishna Tulsi has purplish leaves with strong aromatic smell. It is believed to have more medicinal properties than Rama Tulsi. That said, some people might find taste of Krishna tulsi quite too spicy and pungent. Growing both Rama and Krishna tulsi in your home is a good idea.

Krishna Tulsi

Vana Tulsi:

Vana is a Hindi word that translates to Forest in English. Vana Tulsi is a perennial Basil. It actually falls under Ocimum gratissimum species, which is different from Rama and Krishna Tulsi. Vana Tulsi is also known as African tulsi, this variety is more resistant to weather conditions.

Vana Tulsi

Other lesser know Variety of Tulsi includes Drudriha Tulsi, Tukushmiya Tulsi, Babi Tulsi, Kapoor Tulsi. 

                                        Propagation and Planting

Sow seeds outdoors in late spring or early summer, when the temperature range around 60-70 degrees F (15-21 C). For an earlier start in spring, sow the seeds indoors in a greenhouse or on a warm, sunny windowsill.

Place the tulsi seeds on top of the soil, and tamp them for good soil to seed contact, cover the seeds with barely 1/4 inch layer of compost or soil. Mist the seeds with sprayer and place them where they receive warmth, bright shade, and some part morning sun. Keep the soil constantly moist until the germination occurs, which will take around 1-2 weeks.

When the seedlings have grown two or three sets of true leaves, transplant them carefully in individual containers or outdoors, taking care not to disturb the roots.

                                           Benefits of Tulsi (Holy Basil)

Tulsi is worshipped in Hindu culture not just due to mythological reasons. Tulsi is also a potent herb that has many health benefits and cures many ailments. This easy to grow herb strengthens immunity, fights bad viruses and bacterias. In Ayurveda, Tulsi is given great importance and has been discussed extensively. Even modern science has admitted most of the benefits of Tulsi. The list some of these benefits:

1. Improves skin complexion when applied topically and also when consumed
2. Beneficial to treat skin disorders like ringworm, pimples, and itching
3. Beneficial to control high blood pressure and cholesterol
4. Improves digestive system
5. Help in mouth diseases, dental health, and ulcers
6. It has antibiotic and anti-bacterial properties
7. Help is lung issues like Asthma or chest congestion
8. Rich source of Vitamin A and C
9. Provides relief during fever, cold, headache, cough, sore throat
10. Regulates high sugar levels in the blood
11. Helpful for joint pain and arthritis

As a plant lover, I always hope to have Tulsi in our front yard/backyard! I hope you enjoyed reading these details and grow Tulsi in your homes.

Source: Internet.