Diwali, the vibrant festival of lights, brings with it a chance to revive
relationships. The fifth day of the five-day festival is especially dedicated to
honor the unique bond between brother and sister. Known as Bhai Dooj or Bhaiya
Duj, it falls on the second day after Diwali, that is, on 'Shukla Paksha Dwitiya'
in the Hindi month of 'Kartik'. Thus, Bhayya Duj is the festival that marks the
end of Diwali celebrations. This festival is popular in different regions with
different names, such as 'Bhai-Dooj' in north India, 'Bhav-Bij' in Maharashtra,
'Bhai-Phota' in Bengal and 'Bhai-Teeka' in Nepal. Read on to know more about
Bhai Duj.
The Legends
Like the other four days of Diwali, Bhai Duj finds its roots in mythology.
According to the legends, Lord Yamraj, the God of Death, visited his sister
Yamuna on the 'Shukla Paksha Dwitiya' day in the Hindi month of 'Kartik'. He was
given a hearty welcome by his sister, when he visited her home. On his arrival,
she performed aarti, applied tilak on his forehead and adorned his neck with a
beautiful garland. She cooked delicious dishes and prepared sweets for him.
Touched by her heartfelt welcome, Yamraj bestowed presents upon her and showered
blessings on her. He gave her a boon that every time a brother visits his sister
on this day, he would be prospered with health and wealth. This is why Bhayya
Duj is also known as 'Yam-Dwitiya'.
One more story is associated with the celebrations of Bhai Duj. According to the
story, after Bhagwaan Mahavir attained 'Nirvana', his brother Raja Nandi-Vardhan
became very sad. He missed Bhagwaan Mahavir very badly. At that moment, his
sister Sudarshana comforted him. Since then, the women have been revered during
this festival, by their brothers. Therefore, Bhai Duj is not only significant
for the people following Hinduism, but also important for the Buddhists of
India. By celebrating Bhai Duj, they put an end to the celebration of the
Nirvana of Lord Mahavir.
Bhaiya Duj Celebrations
On the auspicious day of Bhaiya-Dooj, brothers and sisters get up early in the
morning and get ready for the day. On the arrival of their brothers, the sisters
perform 'aarti' (of their brothers) and apply a beautiful 'Tilak' or 'Teeka' on
their forehead. The sisters they sweeten the mouth of their brother, with
mouth-watering eatables, such as ladoo. Thereafter, the brothers and sisters
exchange gifts with each other. On the auspicious day of 'Yam-Dwitiya', the
people of 'Kayastha' community of Hindus celebrate the holy function of
worshipping Lord Chitragupta, the God who maintains the records of life and
death of the living beings. The 'Kayastha' community also worships the pen,
paper and ink on this day, in the honor of Lord Chitragupta.
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