Bhai Dooj Festival 2021

 

Bhai Dooj Festival is celebrated on 6 Saturday November 2021. Bhaubeej, Bhai-Dooj, Bhai Beej, Bhai Phota, is a ceremony performed by Hindus on the second day after Diwali.  This is the way it is called in different states all over the country.  In Nepal, which is a majority Hindu country, it is called Bhai Tika.

 

After the Diwali celebrations, sisters get ready for the most awaited ‘Bhai Dooj’.  On this day sisters ceremonies their love for their brothers.  They put an auspicious tilak on the forehead of their brothers and perform an aarti.  They wish them lot of love and protection from evil forces. Sisters are lavished with gifts, goodies and blessings from their brothers.

As the legend goes, Yamraj, the god of death visited his sister Yami on this particular day.  She put the auspicious tilak on his forehead, garlanded him and offered him with special dishes and sweets.  They conversed and gossiped with each other and enjoyed themselves.  While parting, Yamaraj gave her a special gift.  She had made it with her own hands.  Since that day, it is called Bhayya Dooj.  Therefore this day of Bhayya Dooj is also known by the name of “Yama-Dwitiya” Since then, this day is being observed as a symbol of love between sisters and brothers.  Some time brothers go to their sister’s house to celebrate Bhai Dooj.

After slaying the narakasura demon, Lord Krishna went to his sister Subhadra.  She welcomed him with flowers and sweets.  She put the holy protective tika on her brother’s forehead, and performed aarti.

There is another story behind the origin of Bhai Dooj.  When Mahavir, the founder of Jainism, attained nirvana, his brother King Nandivardhan was distressed.  He missed him and was comforted by his sister Sudarshana.

It is the day of food-sharing; gift-giving and reaching out to the inner most depths of the hearts.  The celebrating of this day has its own importance.  It maintains the love between brothers and sisters.