indian cinema heritage foundation

Tulsi Vivah (1971)

  • LanguageHindi
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This is the inspiring tale of Tulsi (Basil) which is planted in every porch and worshipped in every home all over the world, and from whom the virgins desire their dream boy, wives desire happy wedded life and the barren women beseech children. Why every year on Kartik Sudi Ekadashi day Tulsi is being wedded to the Almighty Shaligram is vividly told in this tale.

Be it a deity, demon or a human, the shallow­ hearted soon go haughty by pride on small victories, and Lord Indra was  no exception. In pride of his victory on three worlds he disrupted Shankar sitting in contemplation, evoking his third eye's fire of wrath that set ablaze the three worlds including Lord Indra himself. At the entreaties of the deities Shankar flung the fire into the ocean out of which emerged a miraculous child who was named Jalandhar by Brahmaji, and started being brought up by the King Sindhuraj.

Soon Jalandhar became the Emperor of Demons, who was married to the divine daughter Vrinda of Mathura's King Kaalnemi. Deeply possessed by passionate life, Jalandhar invaded the lndralok at the incitement of Rahoo who infuriated him by revealing to him how the precious pearls and diamonds of his father Sindhuraj were robbed off by Indra and his fellow deities and how continuous injustice was done to the demons from generations.

Defeating Indra and over powering his lndrasan Jalandhar brought into his abode a hoard of apsaras including the beauteous Queen lndrani for his hungry passions, which could no longer be tolerated by Jalandhar's pious wife Vrinda who in her act of saving the grace and honour of the Queen, was severely whipped and forced to dance amidst the full court, by her tyrant husband.

Jalandhar's behaviour towards Vrinda went from bad to worse. His love turned into hatred in no time, and the tyranny so much surpassed the limits that he chopped off the tongue of Vrinda only to stop her uttering the holy name of Lord Vishnu and jailed her after she got pierced her eyes as a protest against his sinful thoughts about Parvati.

Unheeding Vrinda's endless sermon to acknowledge the greatness of the Almighty, Jalandhar waged war against Lord Vishnu and Shankar, but the powers of the chastity of Vrinda all the time rescued him, yet the tyranny of Jalandhar so relentlessly surpassed all limits that the entire womanhood was in danger, for which the destruction of Jalandhar was unavoidable. Lord Vishnu was compelled to disgrace the power of the chastity of Vrinda and Shankar successfully destroyed Jalandhar, but Vishnu had to pay heavy penalty. He was transformed into stone by Vrinda's curse, but finding the entire universe seized in doldrums, Vishnu was revived back to life.

Vrinda got burnt down as Sati and became immortal in the holy form of Tulsi (Basil). In atonement Vishnu symbolized himself into a Shaligram and blessed Tulsi that every year on this day she will be wedded to Shaligram and yet will be considered ever virgin.  This is that great story of War and Peace.

(From the offical press booklet)
 

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