On Dev Uthani Ekadashi, the ritual of waking Lord Vishnu is performed after his four-month cosmic sleep (Chaturmas) that began on Devshayani Ekadashi in July. For the date this year, see the Dev Uthani Ekadashi article.

This is the day the wedding season officially opens. No Hindu wedding is traditionally performed during Chaturmas. The moment Vishnu wakes, families across North India begin scheduling engagements, roka ceremonies, and weddings. If you’ve been waiting months for a vivah muhurat, this is why the calendar was empty.

Samagri (what you’ll need)

  • Sugarcane stalks (2-4, to build the mandap frame)
  • Amla branches (to decorate the mandap alongside the sugarcane)
  • A tulsi plant in its pot
  • Diya, conch, bell
  • Fresh fruit, sweets, panchamrit (a mix of milk, curd, ghee, honey, and sugar)
  • Roli, akshat (unbroken rice grains), haldi
  • A piece of chalk or rangoli powder (for drawing the footprints)
  • Yellow flowers, if available

If you’re abroad and can’t find sugarcane, don’t skip the puja. Some families use banana stems or simply set up the tulsi plant with diyas and proceed. The spirit matters more than sourcing every item perfectly.

Steps

  1. Set up the mandap: Place sugarcane stalks and amla branches to form a small canopy in the courtyard or puja space. The tulsi plant goes at the center or beside the Vishnu murti.
  2. Draw the footprints: Using chalk, wet rangoli, or rice paste, draw small footprints leading from the main door to the puja space. These symbolize Vishnu returning home after his four-month sleep. Families in UP and Bihar often draw these in every room of the house.
  3. Sound the conch and bell: In the evening, blow the conch and ring the bell to symbolically wake Lord Vishnu. Some families sing “Uth Jaag Devata” or similar bhajans at this point.
  4. Perform the puja: Light the diya, offer panchamrit, fruit, sweets, and flowers. Apply roli and akshat to the murti or image. Recite the Vishnu Sahasranama or the Dev Uthani Ekadashi Vrat Katha if you have it.
  5. Keep the Ekadashi fast and sing bhajans through the evening.
  6. Break the fast (parana) the next day on Dwadashi, ideally within the prescribed parana window. Check the panchang page for the exact Dwadashi timing in your city.

Tulsi Vivah: the next day

The day after Dev Uthani Ekadashi, the tulsi plant is ceremonially married to Lord Vishnu in his Shaligram form. This follows the full rites of a Hindu wedding: haldi, mandap, pheras around the tulsi, kanyadaan, and sindoor. Many families treat it as a mini-wedding rehearsal, complete with decorating the tulsi pot with a sari and ornaments.

In Varanasi and across UP, community-level Tulsi Vivah celebrations happen at temples, and families bring their own tulsi plants to be married alongside others. For diaspora families, even a simple ceremony at home with the tulsi, a Shaligram stone (or a Vishnu image), and a diya carries the full significance.

This marks the formal start of the wedding season, and from this day forward, you’ll see a rush of wedding dates being booked right through to the next Chaturmas.