Tulsi

Holy Basil

If people came to know where my king’s palace is,
it would vanish into the air.
The walls are white silver and the roof shining gold.
The queen lives in a palace with seven courtyards,
and she wears a jewel the wealth of seven kingdoms.
But let me tell you, mother, in a whisper,
where my king’s palace is.
It is at the corner of our terrace
where the pot of the tulsi plant stands.

The princess lies sleeping on the far-away shore
of the seven impassable seas.
There is none in the world who can find her but myself.
She has bracelets on her arms and pearl drops in her ears;
Her hair sweeps down upon the floor.
She will wake when I touch her with my magic wand
and jewels will fall from her lips when she smiles.
But let me whisper in your ear, mother;
she is there in the corner of our terrace
where the pot of the tulsi plant stands.

Rabindranath Tagore

Tulsi is herself a goddess wrapped in a beautiful sari. Richly fragrant, she stands with an elegant posture, under two feet tall. Her ovate leaves are green, sometimes with purple overtones. Arranged in opposite pairs, they reach out from downy stems. She has many branches, spreading out to a shrub-like shape, recognizing both her wild and cultured sides. Her pretty and delicate flowers appear in close whorls upon a long raceme in whites and purples. Our Tulsi is regarded as the holiest of all plants, and as such is often the center of a woman’s household devotion. Also called the “women’s deity”, she is grown and carefully tended in or near most Hindu homes. During the hot summer months, offering her cool water or a parasol for shade can bring purification and blessings to her caretaker.

The Magic of Tulsi

Correspondences

Element: Air
Gender: Feminine
Sabbat: Unkown
Planet: Mercury, Jupiter
Chakra: All

Spellwork

Love
Protect
Wealth
Luck
Happiness

Proverb

Oriya: One can sense the fragrance of tulsi even when the first two leaves appear.

The Medicine of Tulsi

Ayurvedic

Ayurvedic Name: Surasa
Vata: Calms
Kapha: Calms
Pitta: Calms (seeds only)
Taste: Pungent, Bitter

Herbology

Adaptogen
Antibacterial
Alterative
Anti-fungal
Antioxidant
Antispasmodic
Carminative
Antidepressant
Emmenagogue
Expectorant
Galactogogue
Immunomodulant
Nervine
Radioprotective
Tonic
Stimulant

TCM

Not Applicable

Science of Tulsi

Botany

Botanical Name: Ocimum sanctum (also O. tenuiflorum)
Family: Lamiaceae (Mint Family)
Type of Plant: Annual
Habitat: Moderately rich well-drained soil, Full/Part sun
Zone: 9-11
Bloom Time: June to Frost
Height: 1-1.5 feet
Spread: 1-1.5 feet
Propagation: Cutting, Seed
Harvest: Midsummer to frost
Part Used: Leaves, Flowers
Constituents: Flavonoids, Triterpenes, Ursolic acid, Mucilage, Volatile Oils
Native Region: South Asia
Sustainability: Good

Leaf

Structure: Simple
Arrangement: Opposite
Shape: Ovate
Length: up to 2 inches
Margins: Toothed
Surface: Pubescent

Flower

Inflorescence: Complex, Elongated Racemes
Sexuality: Perfect
Stamen: 4
Petals: Irregular, 4 fused 1 bottom
Color: Purple
Size: Varies

Sacred Story

Tulsi, also called “Queen of Herbs,” is known as the embodiment of Lakshmi (Hindu goddess of wealth and generosity). On the 11th day following Diwali, the marriage of Tulsi to Vishna takes place during the festival called Tulsi Vivah. This wedding marks the end of the Monsoon season, which is considered an inauspicious period of struggle, and heralds in the season of weddings and hope. The Tulsi plant is dressed in silk and adorned with bridal jewelry, while an idol of Lord Vishnu (the groom) is placed beside her. The two are surrounded with a mala of flowers and given all the honors of a traditional wedding.