What is TULSI?

With terms like “god”, “goddess”, “king”, “queen”, “diety”, “holy”, and “divine” commonly used in texts about tulsi it will have an interesting story to tell. It is used in Indian tradition as a sacred spiritual, healing, and spiritual herb for over five thousand years, it is a healing herb that has been used for centuries. (or holy basil) is relatively new to Western culture and is frequently used as a component in herbal remedies as tinctures, medicines, as well as essential oils. The dried leaves of tulsi can be used to create a refreshing herbal tea.

How exactly did this herb of awe get into our teacups?

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How It Grows

Tulsi ( Ocimum tenuiflorum or Ocimum sanctum) is also known by the name holy basil. “Holy” because of its historical and spiritual significance”Holy” because of its significance for spiritual and religious reasons, and “basil” because it comes from the same perennial plant that is part of the shrub and herb family, as commonly used cooking basil. Tulsi can be classified as part of the Lamiaceae family of fragrant flowering herbs , which also include mint oregano, sage, rosemary and lavender.

Tulsi is indigenous in The Indian subcontinent and thrives in tropical, humid climates. It is widely cultivated and is cultivated across in the Southeast Asian tropics. It is an erect , branched shrub which can reach up to 60cm tall. It has hairy stems, fragrant purple and green leaves as well as tiny, white-purplish to white flowers that grow from at the ends on the branch. The leaves are grown harvested, dried and then dried to be used in herbal tea preparations.

There are three main kinds of the tree, each with distinct features:

  1. KRISHNA:

    The plant is known in the field as purple leaf-tulsi because of its characteristic blooms and leaves of purple This plant is known for its sweet scent of cloves, and its leaves resemble the sharp, sharp flavor of pepper. It’s widely cultivated across India and is frequently seen in gardens and private homes.

  2. RAMA:

    It has green leaves as well as lighter or white flowers this tulsi with a green leaf is renowned for its clove-like scent. It’s cooler and smooth flavor than the violet leaf tulsi. It is grown throughout India however it can also be located throughout China, Nepal, Bengal as well as Brazil.

  3. VANA:

    The wild tulsi plant is native to Asia and regions of Africa. It is found growing in the wild and also cultivated in the Himalayas as well as throughout the plains in India. It is characterized by lighter green leaves and more of a citrus-like aroma and taste than its more spicy counterparts.

Tulsi Legends

As a tree with significance for spiritual and religious reasons Tussi is a plant with a long story of legends to describe how it came to be and the reason it is believed to be worshipped.

One of these legends marks this plant to be the earthly representation of Lakshmi Goddess of Wealth and the principal wife of Vishnu. Hindu God Vishnu. Lakshmi had been one of the three wives of Vishnu and was perhaps his favorite. The two wives are in a state of jealousy, and the three wives make a wish for Lakshmi for being born in earth as plants. The wife, Ganga as well Saraswati then curse one another to be born in the form of river (the Ganges River and the Saraswati River). Vishnu offers comfort to Lakshmi in the belief that she’ll come to planet earth in the form of the tulsi flower however only a small one part of her will remain in earth as a plant . her spirit will come back to be connected to him.

Another legend connects tulsi with it being the Samudra Manthana, the churning of the cosmic oceans by Gods as well as the demons. Then, at the conclusion of the churning fight, Dhanvantari, the physician to the gods, emerges triumphant from the ocean, armed with the elixir of eternality and presents his blessing to gods. It is believed that the Hindu god Vishnu sheds tears of joy for the present which, in the beginning, went into the elixir and the tulsi flower grew.

Another legend relates to the plant as a crossing place between the heavens and earth. The most common prayer states that the creator god Brahma is a part of its branches, and that all Hindu temples are situated in its root, it is believed that the Ganges River flows through its roots, and all gods are inside its stem leaves and also the Hindu scriptures are found in the upper portion on its stems.

The Way It’s Utilized

In Hindu worship: Tulsi is a sacred plant that Hindus believe is the physical manifestation of Lakshmi the god of abundance and the the principal female companion of Hindu God Vishnu. People who worship Vishnu wear beaded necklaces of prayer composed of tulsi leaves, and the water infused with tulsi flower petals is given to the dead to lift their souls into heaven. Tulsi Vivah is a ritual wedding of the tulsi flower with the Hindu goddess Vishnu. The date for the ceremony differs between regions and is a sign of the end of monsoon season as well as the start of the Hindu wedding season. Apart from being worshiped in temples and ceremonies, the tulsi plant is also worshiped in the home. It is growing in a variety of Hindu households. It is typically placed in the home’s central courtyard. It is usually planted in clay pots made of earth, decorated with deities’ images or other gods. Certain homes may have more than twelve or more tulsi plants in order to create the appearance of a holy basil garden.

The Ayurveda: The tulsi plant has been utilized for many thousands many years within Ayurveda as a type which is part of the traditional Indian medicine. In Ayurveda it is believed that tulsi is an adaptogen, a plant that aids the body in adapting to stressors from outside. The herb is utilized in a variety of forms, including dried, fresh herbal tea, powdered and essential oils as an Ayurvedic cure for a wide range of ailments common to all.

In Thai food: Holy basil leaves (or “kaphrao” in Thai) are often used as a component in Thai food. They are most well-known as a stir-fry dish that is that is made from holy basil, seafood or pork as well as rice. Holy basil shouldn’t be misunderstood with Thai basil However, it is also a popular ingredient in Thai food. Both have distinct flavors and aromas that they add to the food.

in the gardens: In 1903, a London report on horticulture stated that in 1903 when Royal Victoria Gardens were established in Bombay, “the men employed at the work were plagued by mosquitoes. Based on the recommendations of Hindu managers, the entire border of the gardens was sown with holy basil on which the mosquito plague was immediately cured, and the fever was completely eliminated the gardens of the residents.” It is used in gardens to this day as an insect repellent that is widely used. Dry leaves could contain stored grain to repel insects.

as a tea As with any other herbal tea or infusion, dried or fresh tulsi leaves can be brewed in hot water, resulting in an infusion that resembles tea. If it is brewed on its own the tulsi leaves as a herbal infusion is caffeine-free.

Tasting Tulsi

 

Tulsi is known for its strong aroma and an astringentand sometimes bitter taste. Since it is part of food basil families, it could contain peppery and floral flavors in addition. Certain varieties of tulsi might have a clove-like scent and spiced flavor, whereas others could have a fresh lemony scent and flavor. The Teatulia(r)’s Tulsi Infusion Tea is an infusion of Teatulia black tea leaf and Tulsi leaves.

 

This fresh black tea blend offers the full, rich spiciness with a touch of sweetness. It is brewed into a rich red color with the scent of fresh, sweet flowers. It’s a distinctive tea that has subtle undercurrents of cocoa unsweetened and bubble gum, all in a rich coffee base. It’s also an invigorating cold tea that’s great with ice in fact, that we developed an easy drink to make Tulsi Infusion Iced Tea.

Preparing Tulsi

Here are some general guidelines for making the perfect coffee Teatulia Tulsi Tonic Tea:

  • Use pure, fresh water that is cold and filtered. Spring water is the best choice.
  • Since this is a black and herb tea blend, it’s usually steeped with just boiling water, at temperatures ranging from 200-212 degrees. If you’re just steeping leaves of tulsi, then you could utilize the same temperature to make the herbal tea.
  • If you don’t own an electric kettle that has temperature control, keep in mind that at sea level , water boils at 190° and reaches 212 degrees. The boiling temperature decreases by about 1 degree for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain.
  • If your tulsi tea was packaged with specific guidelines for brewing, make use of the ones that are recommended. For our Teatulia Tea Infusion we make use of one tea bag, or as much as one tablespoon of tea loose leaf for every 8oz. cups of water.
  • The Tulsi Infusion while it’s steeping to keep the heat within the vessel.
  • Try the brewed tulsi following the suggested infusion time (we infuse our Tulsi Infusion in two to three minutes) and then decide if you’d prefer it to last a bit longer. Teatulia Tulsi can be infused a few times.
  • Teatulia Tulsi is a beautiful infusion to drink by itself. However, just like traditional black tea this combination of black tea leaves and tulsi could be enjoyed alongside cream or milk, and maybe some sweetener.

Buying and Storing Tulsi

As a dried plant it is unlikely to become “bad” but it can become old-fashioned. Make sure to purchase the tulsi from a reliable business that can inform you the date and method by which the herb was prepared and stored. The majority of herbs will have the greatest flavor when they are brewed and consumed immediately following the date they were processed. However, if properly stored it will remain in good condition and be drinkable as long as two years. To keep your tulsi fresh and as clean as long as you can ensure that you store it in a dark, cool location, away from sunlight, oxygen moisture, and aromatic pantry ingredients such as coffee or spices.

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Sources:
Ocimum tenuiflorum via Wikipedia Tulsi Holy Basil via About Religion Tulsi in Hinduism via Wikipedia What is Tulsi? via About Food