Bhai Dooj 2023 • Celebration of Brother - Sister Love

Bhai Dooj (Hindi:भाई दूज/भैया दूज, Gujarati: ભાઈબીજ, Bengali: ভাইফোঁটা, Marathi: भाऊबीज), also known as Bhai Tika or Bhaiya Dooj or Bhau-Beej is a unique Hindu festival that celebrates the selfless and chaste bond of love between a brother and sister. It is observed on the ‘dooj’ or dwitiya tithi (2nd day) of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight of moon) in the Hindu month of Kartik. In the Gregorian calendar it falls between October-November.

Bhai Dooj is last day of the 5-day long festival of Diwali. On this day the sisters offer prayers for a happy and long life of their brothers.

Bhai Dooj 2023 is on November 15, Wednesday

5 months and 3 days to go for the event

Bhai Dooj Tika Muhurat : November 15, 1:16 pm - November 15, 3:27 pm

Bhai Dooj is also known as ‘Yamadvitiya’ as on this very day, Lord Yama, the God of Death met his sister Yamuna, after a very long separation. Nowhere except in India, there is a day dedicated to cherish the brotherly-sisterly love in such a grand manner.

Diwali calendar 2023

Table below shows the 5 days of Diwali 2023:

The festival of Bhai Dooj is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour all through the country, especially in northern India. In the state of Bengal it is observed as ‘Bhai Pota’ just after the Kali puja. India is a country of varied traditions, and Bhai Dooj is also celebrated with different traditions and names. Some of the popular names of this festival are ‘Bhai Bij’, ‘Bhav Bij’, ‘Bhatru Dviteeya’ or ‘Bhatri Ditya’. Irrespective of the names, Bhai Dooj is a festival solely meant for sisters and brothers and on this chosen day they express their love for each other generously.

Tika Muhurat, Prayers, Puja & Rituals during Bhai Dooj

On the day of Bhai Dooj, the sisters send an invitation to their brothers to come over for a scrumptious meal. In many families, friends and close relatives are also invited on this occasion. The sisters get up early and begin making preparations for the day. They cook mouth-watering delicacies for their brother that also includes their favourite dishes. On this occasion, women also apply mehendi or henna on their hands.

Much like the traditional way, sisters perform an aarti for their brothers. They apply a red tika with kumkum on their forehead. This Tika ceremony performed during Bhai Dooj, signifies the sincere prayer of sisters for the prosperity and happiness of their brothers. This gesture is also meant to ward off all the evils from their life. To reciprocate, the brothers shower blessings on their sisters and pamper them with gifts or even cash. Some sisters also observe a fast for their brothers till the ceremony gets over.

As a customary practice in the state of Maharashtra and Haryana, women who do not have brothers, offer prayers to the moon instead. Even sisters, who have brothers living at faraway places, convey the sincerest prayers for their brothers by worshipping Moon God. They perform aarti of the Moon and pray for the longevity of their brothers. It is for this reason also that Hindu children also affectionately call moon as ‘Chanda Mama’ with ‘chanda’ meaning ‘moon’ and ‘mama’ refers to mother’s brother.

Important Timings On Bhai Dooj 2023

Significance of Bhai Dooj:

The celebrations of Bhai Dooj commences in a grandeur manner. Sisters and brothers look forward to this occasion with great gaiety and enthusiasm. Brothers, who live at distant places, make efforts to meet their sisters on thus auspicious day and strengthen their bond of love. On the day of Bhai Dooj sisters pray to Lord Yama to bestow their brothers with a healthy and long life. The celebrations of Bhai Dooj are similar to the festival of ‘Raksha Bandhan’ but in contrast, on this day, sisters gift a token of love to their brothers. Bhai Dooj is a much awaited festival every year as it gives sisters and brothers an occasion to reinforce their affectionate relationship. Brothers and sisters indulge themselves by showering gifts n each other.