Bhai Dooj: Celebrating brother-sister love

Bhai Dooj is a Hindu festival that is celebrated on the last day of the five-day-long Diwali festival.

It marks brother-sister love; the celebrations are similar to that of Raksha Bandhan.

It falls on the second day of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik.

The auspicious second day of the month is called 'Dooj' or 'Dwitiya'; hence the name Bhai Dooj or Bhathru Dwitiya.

Though Bhai Dooj and Raksha Bandhan are celebrated similarly, both are quite different.

On Bhai Dooj, sisters pray for the long life and prosperity of their brothers; however, they don't tie a thread on their hands.

Sisters invite their brothers; traditional aarti is performed followed by the tika ceremony.

It signifies the brother's duty to protect his sister and her blessings for him.

There are two main stories behind celebrating Bhai Dooj.

The first one is, the God of Death, Lord Yama visited his sister Yami (Yamuna river) who was overjoyed and welcomed him by performing aarti and tika ceremony.

Moved by Yami's affection and love, he declared any brother who would visit his sister, and receive aarti and tilak on this day should not fear death.

Another popular Hindu interpretation is that Lord Krishna (after demon Narakasura's death) returned victoriously and visited his sister Subhadra on the second day of Kartik month.

Subhadra who was overjoyed upon seeing her brother welcomed him by performing the aarti ceremony and applying tika.

She had showered Lord Krishna with flowers and then offered him sweets.

Sisters perform similar traditional ceremonies, even today.

Bhai Dooj, the last day of the five-day-long Diwali, marks the most special brother-sister relationship.

Nowhere is the brother-sister bond glorified so ceremoniously as in our country.

While sisters perform traditional rituals and pray for brothers' wellbeing, brothers vow to protect sisters.

Though it is celebrated under different names in various regions, the underlying spirit of piety, love, and care is the same everywhere.