Tulsi in Hinduism  Tulsi or Tulasi ("Holy basil") or Vrinda is a sacred plant in Hindu belief. Hindus regard it as an earthly manifestation of the goddess Tulsi/Vrinda; she is regarded as the avatar of Lakshmi, and thus the consort of the god Vishnu. The offering of its leaves is mandatory in ritualistic worship of Vishnu and his avatars like Krishna and Vithoba. Many Hindus have tulsi plants growing in front of or near their home, often in special pots or a special masonry structure known as "Tulsi Vrindavan" as this is related to their culture. Traditionally, Tulsi is planted in the center of the central courtyard of Hindu houses. The plant is cultivated for religious purposes, and for its essential oil. In Hindu vedas , Tulsi ("matchless") is known as "Vaishnavi" ("belonging to Vishnu"), "Vishnu Vallabha" ("beloved of Vishnu"), "Haripriya" ("beloved of Vishnu"), "Vishnu Tulsi". The Tulsi with green leaves is called "Shri-Tulsi" ("fortunate Tulsi"); Shri is also a synonym for Lakshmi, Vishnu's principal consort. This variety is also known as "Rama-Tulsi" ("bright Tulsi"); Rama is also one of the principal avatars of Vishnu. The Tulsi with dark green or purple leaves and purple stem is called "Shyama-Tulsi" ("dark Tulsi") or "Krishna-Tulsi" ("dark Tulsi"); Krishna is also a prominent avatar of Vishnu. This variety is considered especially sacred to Krishna, as its purple color is similar to Krishna's dark complexion. One argument mooted is that goddess Laksmi is also identical with Tulsi and hence it is also known as Lakshmi Priya; Tulsi is also identified with the wives of other incarnations of Vishnu, such as Rama and Krishna. The "Devi Bhagavata Purana" regards Tulsi as an manifestation of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and principal consort of Vishnu. Once upon a time, King Vrishadhvaja—a devotee of the god Shiva—banned worship of all other deities except for that of his patron god. An agitated sun god Surya cursed him that he would be abandoned by Lakshmi.