Bhai dooj is a festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. It is celebrated on the last day of Diwali, which is the fifth day of the festival. This year, Bhai dooj will be celebrated on 3 November. During the day, sisters will apply Tilak on their brothers forehead then bless them, later they prepare food for them. Meanwhile, brothers give them gifts and promise to protect their sisters.
Bhai Dooj Muhurat
According to the Vedic calendar, the auspicious Dwitiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha in Kartik month starts on November 2, 2024, at 08:21 pm and ends on November 3, 2024. Although the whole day is auspicious, there are some muhurat when one can perform the tilak. The Bhai Dooj Muhurat are as follows. In the morning, Tilak muhurt is between 11:48 a.m. to 12:32 p.m. in the afternoon Tilak muhurt is between 1:10 p.m. to 3:22 p.m. further in the evening, the Tilak muhurt is between 5:43 p.m. to 7:20 p.m. and finally at night, d Tilak muhurt is between 7:20 p.m. to 8:57 p.m. It is also important to know that rahukaal is between 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and it is advised to not apply Tilak during this time as it is considered inauspicious.
Bhai Dooj Pooja thali preparation
Sisters should prepare their puja thali with specific items. In the plate it should have contain roli, akshat i.e. white rice, flowers, betel nut, betel leaf, silver coin, dry coconut, Kalawa, banana, sweets and lamp. It is important to know that Broken rice should not be kept in the thali as it is considered inauspicious, so keep only full white rice. On this day, it is believed that brothers should be invited by their married sisters to their home were there will serve them meal. According to belief, poverty stays away from sisters who invite their brothers for a meal on this day. The blessings of Goddess Lakshmi are believed to remain in the house.
How to perform tilak
- Both brothers and sisters should get ready after taking a bath in the morning.
- Sisters should then prepare the pooja thali for the Tilak.
- Brothers should sit on a stool for the Tilak.
- A red handkerchief should be kept on brother’s head.
- Then apply the tilak during auspicious muhurat, using your ring finger
- After applying the Tilak, give flowers, betel leaves, betel nuts, batasha and black gram to the brother and perform his Aarti.
- After applying the Tilak, give flowers, betel leaves, betel nuts, batasha and black gram to the brother and perform his Aarti.
Bhai Dooj Katha
Lord Surya Narayan’s wife is Chhaya. Lord Surya and Chhaya’s son and daughter are Yamraj and Yamuna. Yamuna ji was very fond of her brother Yamraj. She would always request him to come to her house with his friends and have food. Due to his busy schedule, Yamraj kept postponing his sister’s request. It was the day of Kartik Shukla Paksha. Yamuna ji invited her brother to come to her house for food and made him commit himself.
Yamraj thought that I am the one who takes away lives. No one wants to invite me to their home. It is my duty to fulfill the good intentions with which my sister is inviting me. While coming to his sister’s house, Yamraj freed the creatures living in hell. Yamuna’s happiness knew no bounds on seeing Yamraj coming to her home. She took a bath, did puja, served food and served food. Pleased with the hospitality shown by Yamuna, Yamraj ordered his sister to ask for a boon.
Yamuna said to her brother that he should come to her house every year on this day and all those sisters who respect their brother and applied Tilak to him on this day, just like Yamuna did to her brother, then they will not have to fear Yamraj. Listening to this Yamraj said “Tathastu” and went to Yamlok. It is believed that since then the bhai dooj festival has begun.