Today Is Harishayani Ekadashi: Tulsi Plants Are Being Transplanted. Every year on the day of Ashad Shukla Ekadashi, the special worship of Tulsi plants in houses from house to house for four months starts today.
On the day of Jyeshtha Shukla Ekadashi a month ago, the dal plants placed in the Tulsi Moth of each house are moved to the Moth today. According to Sanatan Vedic tradition, Tulsi is considered a symbol of Vishnu. From today till the day of Kattik Shukla Ekadashi, there is special worship of Tulsi.
Prof. Dr Devmani Bhattarai, a theologian and former member of the Nepal Panchanga Nirikh Bikash Samiti, says that today is called Harishayani Ekadashi because Lord Vishnu sleeps in the lake of Kshirasagar for four months from Asar Shukla Ekadashi to Kartik Shukla Ekadashi. The four months that Lord Vishnu sleeps are also called Chaturmasa.
On the occasion of Harishayani Ekadashi, devotees throng Narayan and Vishnu temples across the country, including Budhanilkantha in the capital, Char Narayan in the valley, and others, since this morning. On the day of Ekadashi, people avoid eating rice-based dishes and eat fruits, such as roti and dhindo.
There is a Vedic tradition of marrying Tulsi, which has been worshipped for four months, to Damodar on the day of Kartik Shukla Ekadashi, i.e. Haribodhini Ekadashi. After the ritual marriage of Tulsi and Damodar, a havan is also performed to celebrate the Chaturmasa fast through the Agnisthapana method.