Tulsidas Jayanti: celebrating the great saint and poet

What is Tulsidas Jayanti?

Tulsidas Jayanti commemorates the birth anniversary of the renowned saint and poet, Goswami Tulsidas. His most known and loved work is the great Hindu epic, the Shri Ramcharitmanas, which is based on the life and teachings of Shri Rama, one of the most revered deities for Hindus. The work is written in Awadhi language. 

When is Tulsidas Jayanti Observed?

According to the Hindu calendar, Tulsidas was born on the Saptami (seventh day) of the shukla paksha (the dark fortnight of the moon) in the month of Shravan. This day usually falls in the July or August month of the Gregorian calendar. In 2023, Tulsidas Jayanti will fall on Wednesday, 23rd of August.

On this day, the Ramayan of Sage Tulsidas is read and worshipped with great reverence by devotees.

What does one find in the Shri Ramcharitmanas?

The Ramcharitmanas is not a word by word  translation of the Valmiki Ramayana. While retaining the main incidents in the life of Shri Ram,Tulsidas has written his version with the liberty that only a true devotee can take. That is why it is said that if you want to observe bhakti bhavna (pure devotion), then one must read the Shri Ramcharitmanas. (From the itihas (history) point of view, the Ramayan written by Maharshi Valmiki is studied). 

This day gives every devotee of Shri Ram and Hanuman ji an opportunity to express their gratitude towards the writer who wrote the beautiful Epic on their favourite, Shri Ram. Though Awadhi is not understood much today when it was written, Awadhi was the language of many and hence the Ramayana reached many people. The Ramcharitmanas written by Tulsidas gave the most emphasis on bhakti (selfless devotion) towards Ishwar, and hence resonated deeply.

Tulsidas Jayanti is also a time of reflection, celebration, and spiritual growth for followers of Shri Rama. It reminds devotees of the values and teachings embodied in the Ramcharitmanas and fosters a deeper connection with the divine through the path of bhakti. As devotees read and recite the verses from the epic, they are inspired to lead a life of righteousness, devotion, and love, following in the footsteps of Shri Rama, as beautifully depicted by Goswami Tulsidas.