The Tulasi or the Holy Basil has a lot of significance in the Hindu prayer or Puja. In most Hindu homes, it is usual to see a Thulasi thara or a platform on which the Holy basil is planted.
The most auspicious direction is where there is direct sunlight and that should be seen from the main door of the house(which should face east).
The platform or Thualsi thara should always be higher than the floor of the house.There should always be more than one plant in the thulasi thara.Krishna thulasi is the best one for this purpose. It needs to be water daily, weeded and kept free of insects, dead leaves etc.
It also has medicinal properties that cures fever, cough, stomach ailments,diarrhoea, headaches, insect bites, mouth ulcers etc.
In the evenings , while one lights the Sandhya deepam, it is usual to keep a light at the Tulasi thara. Take three pradakshinas around the thulasi thara and chant this mantra...
Praseeda thulasi devi
Praseeda hari-vallabhe
Ksheeroda-madanodbudhe
Thulasi thwaam namaamyaham
When one plucks the thulasi flowers, chant
Thulasi amritha sambhootha
sadaa thwam keshava priye
Keshavaartham lunaami thwaam
Varadaa bhava shobhane.
The thulasi thara should be kept with as much piety and respect given to the Puja room . The thulasi leaves or flowers hsould not be plucked during the twilight time, ekadashi days, tuesdays or fridays.
