The whole of the Jammu and Kashmir is known for its festivals ,festivities ,traditions and rituals and these are the signs and symbols of its diverse and vibrant culture .One such festival and ritual is the custom of celebrating the bond of love between the sisters and brothers .This ritual and festival is celebrated every year with great enthusiasm and gaiety and it symbolizes the love and affection between the brothers and sisters .On this auspicious occasion ,sisters apply tilk on the forehead of their brothers and pray for the safety and long life of their brothers .On this day ,brothers usually visit the house of their sisters and pay gifts to their sisters as a mark of love and respect and the sister gives a feast to his brother .Bhai Dooj is also called Yam Dutta as it falls on the Dutti thiti of the second fortnight of the Hindu month of Kartik Shkulpaksh .

Bhai Tika ,Bhai Dooj ,Bhaubeej ,Bhai Phonta,Bhatra Dwitiya, etc .is one and the same festival .Bhai Dooj festival holds an immense importance in Hindu religion as people celebrate the special bond between brothers and sisters on this auspicious day. This year sacred festival of Bhai Dooj was celebrated on 15th November ,2023.There is a unique understanding between a brother and a sister .They are the best friends of each other ,admirers of each other ,secret sharers of each other and has unconditional love for each other .It is difficult to decode the feelings ,emotions and love between siblings .
However ,there are special days or occasions that are dedicated to strengthening the love between a brother and a sister .Bhai Dooj is one such occasion that can define the eternal love between different siblings ( brother and sister).This wonderful festival is an important occasion where sisters pray to God for the longevity ,well being and prosperity of their loved brother .This occasion occurs after two days of the Diwali festival .According to the Gregorian calendar ,the occasion occurs on the 2nd day of the Shukala Paksha of the Kartika month which falls between October and November .Bhai Dooj is celebrated among Hindus of India ,Nepal and other countries .
The occasion falls on the last day of the five day long celebrations of Diwali or Tihar festival .It is also celebrated as’ Yama Dwitiya ’in the southern parts of India .There are few Hindu mythological based stories related to the origin of this auspicious day .According to one legend ,Lord Krishna visited his sister ,Subhadra after killing demon Narkasura .His sister gave a warm welcome to him and made the occasion really special through flowers and sweets .Subhadra also applied the ceremonial tilk on the forehead of her brother ,Krishna and hence the festival of Bhai Dooj was born from here.
Another legend revolves around the story of Yama ,the God of death and his sister Yamuna .It is believed that he met his sister on Dwitheya ,the second day after new moon and thus occasion began to be celebrated as Yamadwitheya or Yamadvitiya across the country from that day .The festival of Bhai Dooj has a literal meaning attached to it .It is made up of two words namely –Bhai meaning brother and Dooj meaning the second day after the new moon which is a day of its celebration .The day holds the special significance into the lives of a brother and a sister .It is an auspicious occasion that celebrates the strong bonding between two opposite siblings .
Sisters invite their brothers to visit their place and prepare the beloved dishes for them .Sisters also pray to God for the well being and longevity of their brothers against all evils and bad fortune .In return ,brothers follow their responsibilities of caring and loving their sisters .On Bhai Dooj ,sisters perform a Puja for the well being and longevity of their brothers .It involves applying a tilk (vermillion mark) on their brothers foreheads ,performing aarti and offering prayers .In return ,brothers give gifts to their sisters as a token of love and protection .
The celebrations of this day are similar to the festival of Raksha Bandhan .In southern parts of India ,the day is celebrated as Yama Dwitiya .In the Kayastha community , two Bhai Doojs are celebrated .The more famous one comes on the second day after Diwali .But lesser –known one is celebrated a day or two after Diwali .In Haryana and UP a ritual also followed ,as dry coconut ( named gola in regional language ) with klewa tied along with its width for worshipping is also used at the time of doing aarti of a brother .In Bengal the day is celebrated as Bhai Phota ,which comes one day after Kali Puja. On this festival ,sisters invite their brothers for a sumptuous meal often including their favorite dishes /sweets .The procedure may be different in Bihar and central India .
The whole ceremony signifies the duty of a brother to protect his sister ,as well as a sisters blessings for her brother .Carrying forward the ceremony in traditional style ,sisters perform aarti for their brothers and apply a red tilk on the brothers forehead .This tilk ceremony on the occasion of Bhai Dooj signifies sincerest prayers for the long and happy life of her brother and treat them with gifts .In return ,elder brothers bless their sisters and may treat them also with gifts or cash .In West Bengal the day is celebrated as Bhai Phonta and is celebrated with much splendor .The ceremony is marked with rituals along with a grand feast arranged for brothers .It is necessary that ,both brother and sister are more than 5 years of age .The festival of Bhai Bij is popular in Haryana ,Gujarat ,Maharashtra and Goa and is celebrated with great fervor and gaiety .Brothers and sisters look forward to the occasion with immense enthusiasm .To add charm to the occasion Bhai Bij gifts are given to the brothers from sisters as a token of love and appreciation .Bhai Bij is a time for family reunion as all brothers and sisters in the family get together .The fact is that this festival is celebrated in different ways in different parts of the country but the central theme is same love and affection between brothers and sisters .The Jummuites celebrate the festival of Bhai Dooj with great dedication and may this festival of love and bonding fructify and strengthen the ties of love and affection between brothers and sisters.

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