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Bhai Dooj
Hindus celebrate Bhaiya Dooj, which is renowned for both its energy and its moving messages about the bond between a brother and a sister. This festival honoring brothers and sisters occurs in the lucky Kartik month of October/November, towards the tail end of Diwali celebrations. Therefore, “Bhai” means “brother” and “dooj” means “second.”
In a manner similar to “Raksha Bandhan,” brothers also promise to safeguard and bless their sisters. Sisters celebrate this close relationship with a straightforward rite that involves applying a “tilak” to the brother’s forehead and performing a “arti,” which is followed by heartfelt prayers for his long life. The brother-sister relationship is kept sacred by the holy light that emanates from the “arti” as a sign of purity.
Why Bhai Dooj is celebrated?
The legendary tale of the eternal love between Yamraj, the Lord of Death’s brother, and Yami, his twin sister, is one of many stories that serve as the foundation for the Bhai Dooj ritual. Yami learned of her brother’s coming after years of being apart and made a lavish meal in his honor. After seeing Yami, Lord Yamaraj was so overjoyed that he bestowed gifts of long life and freedom from the repercussions of karma to any brother who returned his sister’s love and devotion.
As a result, this celebration is also known as Yama Dwitiya. In accordance with another mythological story, Lord Krishna visited his sister Subhadra following the incident in which he killed the demon Narakasura. Subhadra welcomed him with flowers and treats and applied a tilak to his forehead.
Bhai Dooj festival, which is observed annually in many parts of India, commands its own distinctiveness and reverence, much in the manner of all Hindu holidays. In Bengal, the festival of Bhai Dooj is observed as “Bhai Phota,” during which the sister fasts until she applies a “phota” or tilak made of sandalwood paste and ghee to her brother’s forehead to symbolize the enduring love between a brother and sister.
Therefore, in addition to participating in the typical feasting and lively conversation, the Bhai Dooj holiday provides an opportunity to visit the sister’s home. The oldest of the siblings is given a grain of rice and ‘durba,’ a species of lucky grass. The evergreen durba signifies longevity, while rice is a symbol of plenty.
‘Bhau Beej’ is the name given to the celebration in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and the Konkan region. In Uttar Pradesh, it is customary to prepare “aab” (circular-shaped flax), which is then placed on the puja thali or dish alongside “batashas,” sugar-coated sweets. As the sister applies the tilak to her brother’s forehead and leads an aarti for him, it is tradition to narrate the “Bhaiya Dooj” stories.
Sisters in Bihar practice a strange tradition where they curse their brothers and use a thorn to prickle their own tongues while pleading with them to atone for their previous transgressions. Finally, they offer a prayer for continued health and longevity. Before applying the tilak, the sister offers a few grains of bajri to drink with water.
