The women in the household are often responsible for offering puja. Rituals involve watering the plant, purifying the space around the plant with water and cow dung, and making offerings of food, flowers, incense, gangajal (water of the River Ganga), etc. In the evening, arati (the ritual of offering the sacred fire) is conducted around the Tulsi plant.
The presence of a Tulsi plant at the entrance of the home is believed to ward off evil spirits and negative energies and provide spiritual protection to the household. Even the soil around the plant is considered holy.
The unique designs of Tulsi planters have an individual stamp of creativity, indicative of the family’s social status, traditional means of livelihood, and idiosyncratic style.
Versova's colloquial name is Vesave, which derives from the Marathi-Konkani word for rest (as in, a resting place for ships and seafarers), likely connected to its importance as a harbor.
The Kolis are one of the early inhabitants of Mumbai, and their Koliwadas are among the oldest continuous settlements in the city, having existed for centuries.
As the rising flames engulf the effigy, prayers are made to Haul Mata, seeking forgiveness for past misgivings and invoking blessings for new beginnings. It is believed that the smoke rising from the burning effigy removes negative forces from the neighbourhood.
The tree trunk is seen as a manifestation of Holika, who possessed a boon making her immune to fire. Holika’s brother, Hiranyakashipu, had a son named Prahlad, who had unwavering bhakti (devotion) towards Lord Vishnu. In an attempt to kill Prahlad, Hiranyakashipu instructed Holika to sit on a burning pyre with Prahlad on her lap. However, due to Prahlad’s devotion to Lord Vishnu, he was saved from the flames while Holika was burned to ashes. This event symbolizes the victory of good over evil and is commemorated as Holika dahan.