Bhai Dooj
भाई दूज
Two days after Diwali, sisters honor their brothers with tilak (vermillion mark) and sweets, praying for their well-being. Brothers give gifts. Celebrates the bond between siblings.
Why We Celebrate
Bhai Dooj celebrates the sacred bond between brothers and sisters. According to mythology, Yama (the god of death) visited his sister Yamuna on this day, and she applied tilak on his forehead, praying for his well-being. Yama was so moved that he declared any brother who receives tilak from his sister on this day would never fear death. The festival falls on the second day after Diwali (Kartik Shukla Dwitiya).
Bhai Dooj (also called Yama Dwitiya) celebrates the loving bond between siblings. The most sacred legend tells of Yama, the god of death, who visited his twin sister Yamuna (the river goddess) on the second day of Kartik Shukla. Yamuna lovingly applied tilak on his forehead, fed him sweets, and prayed for his well-being and longevity.
Yama was so deeply moved by his sister's love that he granted her a boon: any brother who receives tilak from his sister on this day would be protected from the fear of death. He also declared that Yamuna's waters would purify anyone who bathed in them on Bhai Dooj. Another legend connects the festival to Lord Krishna visiting his sister Subhadra after defeating the demon Narakasura — she welcomed him with sweets, flowers, and a tilak.
On Bhai Dooj, sisters apply a mark of kumkum and rice on their brothers' foreheads, perform aarti, and pray for their long life and prosperity. Brothers give gifts and promise to protect their sisters. The festival beautifully closes the five-day Diwali celebration with a reminder that family bonds — not wealth or victory — are life's greatest blessing.
How It's Celebrated
Sisters prepare a special seat (asan) and invite their brothers
Apply tilak (vermillion or sandalwood paste) on the brother's forehead
Perform aarti of the brother
Offer coconut, betel nut, and sweets
Brothers give gifts and promise to protect their sisters
Share a meal together
Regional Variations
What You Need
- Tilak ingredients: roli (vermillion), rice, sandalwood paste
- Aarti thali with diya, flowers, and kumkum
- Coconut and betel leaves
- Sweets and snacks for sharing
- Gift for sister (traditionally from brother)
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Download AaradhanaDid You Know?
- ✦Bhai Dooj is similar to Raksha Bandhan but with reversed roles — on Raksha Bandhan, sisters tie a rakhi for protection; on Bhai Dooj, sisters pray and apply tilak for their brother's well-being.
- ✦In Varanasi, it is believed that bathing in the Yamuna river on Bhai Dooj washes away all sins — a boon granted by Yama when he visited his sister Yamuna.
- ✦The Bengali version (Bhai Phonta) has a beautiful chant: "Bhai er kopale dilam phonta, Jomer duare porlo kanta" meaning "I put a mark on my brother's forehead, let thorns fall at Yama's door."
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