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II Bhai Dooj
II
On the fifth and the last day of the Diwali festival Bhai
Dooj or Bhau Beej is celebrated to mark the love
between brothers and sisters. It is also called Yamadwititya.
Bhai Dooj is a festival of brothers and sisters. On this
day, sisters apply sacred tika on their brother's forehead and
pray for their long life. Brothers bless their sisters and
promise to protect them from all hardships in life.
Bhaiya or Bhai means brother, and Dooj
indicates two days after new moon, i.e., two days after Diwali
in Kartik month of Hindu
calendar.
Bhai
Dooj too has got a lot to do with family ties and social
attachments. It serves as a good time, especially for a married
girl, to get together with her own family, and share the post-Diwali
glee.
The Legends of Bhai Dooj :
The Legend Of Yamaraj and Yamuna : According to
Vedas Yama is god of the dead.l. He was the son of Vivasvat, the
Sun and had a twin-sister named Yami or Yamuna. Yami, Yama’s
twin sister, was transformed into the sacred river Yamuna in
whose purifying waters people bathe on holy days.
It is believed that once Yama went to visit his sister Yami who
welcomed him with an auspicious tilak (a red dot) on his
forehead and after garlanding him fed him a sumptuous meal and
sweets. As a token of love Yamraj gave her a special gift while
Yami presented him with a gift made with her own hands. Yamraj
then announced that anyone who receives tilak from his sister
will prosper. So to this day sisters welcome their brothers with
the traditional tilak and sweets and brothers in turn give them
gifts. Therefore, it was given the name of Yamadwititya.
The Legend Of Shree Krishna : According to one legend, on
this day, Lord Krishna, after slaying the Narakasura demon, goes
to his sister Subhadra who welcomes him the lamp, flowers and
sweets, and puts the holy protective spot on her brother's
forehead.
The Legend Of Lord Mahavir :Yet another story behind the
origin of Bhai Dooj says that when Mahavir, the founder of
Jainism, attained nirvana, his brother King Nandivardhan was
distressed because he missed him and was comforted by his sister
Sudarshana. Since then, women have been revered during Bhai Dooj.
Regional Names of Bhai Dooj :There
are various regional names of Bhai Dooj.
Bhai Phota - In Bengal this
event is called 'Bhai Phota', which is performed by the sister
who religiously fasts until she applies a 'phota' or mark with
sandal wood paste on her brother's forehead, offers him sweets
and gifts and prays for his long and healthy life.
Bhav Bij / Bhai Bij / Bhaubeej :In
the states of Maharastra and Goa, this festival is known by the
name of Bhav Bij / Bhai Bij / Bhaubeej . On Bhaubeej
sisters pray for their brothers long and happy life as they
perform teeka ceremony. Brothers also bless their sisters and
pamper them with Bhav-Bij gifts. Highpoint of Bhai Bij
celebration in Maharashtra is a special sweet called Basundi
Poori of Shrikhand Poori.
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