Ganesh Chaturthi 2023: Here Is Why Tulsi Is Not Offered To Lord Ganesha

Ganesh Chaturthi 2023: The auspicious day is here when devotees of Lord Ganesha are celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi with fervour and enthusiasm. After bringing him home, they are preparing for the visarjan (immersion of the idol of Lord Ganesha into water or a water body). But before you do that, you have to carry out rituals in which you offer him his favourite food, ask for his blessing, and invite him to your home next year.

While tulsi or holy basil is offered to many Hindu Gods and Goddesses, you should not offer it to Lord Ganesha. It is one of the few things that people do not know. It is believed that you should refrain from offering tulsi to Lord Ganesha or any other member of his family. Here is why.

Mythological Story: What Tulsi Is Not Offered To Lord Ganesha?

A popular tale says that Tulsi and Lord Ganesha first met when he was meditating in a forest, trying to seek the blessing of Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Being a daughter of Dharmaraja, the God of righteousness, Tulsi was also a devotee of Lord Vishnu.

When Tulsi saw Lord Ganesha meditating, she found him beauty and fell for him. She asked him to marry her. At that time, Lord Ganesha was practising celibacy, one of the asks for any person while meditating to seek blessings from Gods and Goddesses.

When Lord Ganesha told Tulsi (Vastu Tips For Tulsi) about this and gently refused to marry her, she got offended. In her anger, Tulsi cursed Lord Ganesha that he would marry someone unwillingly.

It angered Bappa, and he cursed her that she would have to marry a demon. However, he also added that upon receiving the blessings of a sage, she would turn into a plant. Tusli got frightened and asked for his forgiveness. He cooled down and blessed her with a boon that she would be treated as the supreme of all plants.

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What Not To Offer To Lord Ganesha?

Apart from Tulsi's leaves, there are a few more things that you should not offer to Lord Ganesha.

• Avoid offering white sandalwood, instead, use yellow sandalwood for tilak.
• Lord Ganesha loves food. You should avoid offering dry and broken rice. He loves whole and wet rice.
• Lord Ganesha loves ketki flowers. When worshipping him, you should offer him these flowers.

What You Should Offer To Lord Ganesha?

Some of the favourite things that you should do to Lord Ganesha include modak, banana, druva grass, red vermillion, and marigold. Apart from this, when you are buying clothes for God or going to worship him, you should offer or wear red, yellow, and green colours. They are known to be among his favourites.

If you are specific about offering food, the list includes pooran poli, modak, bananas, peda, payasam, and ladoo. You will also notice that sages offer these items to God in temples.

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