Bhai Dooj 2022 - How Bhai Dooj Celebrated?

On 26th October 2022, Bhai Dooj 2022 are going to be observed. Bhai Dooj, also referred to as Bhratri Dwitiya, may be a Hindu event during which brothers and sisters renew their bonds of devotion. The Hindu calendar is inclusive of two Bhai Doojs. the primary is on the Chaitra month's Dwitiya Tithi. The Chaitra month's Bhai Dooj is a smaller amount well-known. The other, more famous, is Bhai Dooj, which occurs two days after Deepavali Puja and is additionally referred to as Deepavali Puja.

Sisters pray for their brothers' health and happiness on this auspicious day, while brothers respond by giving them presents to demonstrate their love and affection. The event inspires a wonderful family get-together, complete with sweets and other goodies made especially for the occasion.It is observed on the second day of the fortnight, or shukla prasad (new moon), in the Hindu month of Kartika.

Bhai Dooj festivities, like any other important event, are incomplete without traditional ceremonies and customs. Sisters make a seat of rice flour for their brothers as part of the puja. They next apply a sindoor and rice paste on their brothers' hands. This is followed by the offering of Kaddu flowers, betel nut, betel leaves, and money in their brothers' palms. Sisters recite religious mantras while pouring water on their brothers' hands, and a kalawa is wrapped around their brother's hand and a tilak is placed on his forehead.

What the mythology says

Bhai Dooj is linked with variety of tales, some of which are rather intriguing. One of them claims that Lord Yama, also known as Yam Raj (the deity of death), paid a visit to his sister Yami. She gave him an aarti, garland, and tilak on his forehead to greet him. She also provided him special snacks and chocolates. Overwhelmed by her generosity, Yamraj declared that on this day, brothers who get a similar ceremony (aarti, tika, and sweets!) from their sisters will be guaranteed a long and healthy life. As a result, Yamadvitiya or Yamawitheya is another name for this celebration.

According to another legend, Lord Surya''s children Yami and Yamraj literally were alienated, which really is quite significant. The siblings definitely met after generally several years of living apart, and Yamraj actually was kind of moved by their closeness, or so they for all intents and purposes thought. By that time, his sister generally had married a prince, and Yamraj was cordially welcomed into their home, which is fairly significant. As a result, actually many people for all intents and purposes assume that this event is solely for married sisters in a subtle way.

On this day, according to another tradition, Lord Krishna destroyed the monster Narkasur. Following that, he went to see his sister Subhadra, who greeted him with aarti, tilak, garland, and sweets.

This celebration has a connection to Jainism. When Mahavir, the religion's founder, reached nirvana and severed off communication with his family, his brother Nandivardhan was said to be greatly distressed by his decision. He yearned for his brother and was consoled by his sister Sudarshana, who assisted him in resuming his regular life.

Bhai Dooj Puja ritual and Vidhi

The procedure is straightforward. The sister applies a tilak on the brother's forehead and provides him chocolates. In exchange, the brothers offer presents to the sisters. After the tilak, blossoms of kaddu (pumpkin), betel leaves, betel nut, and money are often placed in the brother's hand.

The ritual, however, may vary from place to place and region to area. In Nepal, for example, there are seven different colors of tilaks worn during the ritual. The tilak is applied with sandalwood paste and kajal in Bengal. Sisters who do not have a brother worship the moon in various parts of Maharashtra and Haryana. Other customs include lighting the lamp and setting it in the thali towards the south, tying kallava on the right wrist of the brother, and sisters singing shlokas and mantras while pouring water on the hands of the brother.

Region-specific sweets and unique dishes can also be created on this occasion. On Bhai Dooj, for example, a unique dish called basundi poori (or kheerni poori) is cooked in Maharashtra. A sweet snack known as Khaja is made in West Bengal.

Although the celebration is identical to Raksha Bandhan, the customs actually are slightly different in a subtle way. There mostly is no rakhi tying ceremony involved, and the festival honors the lovely relationship that exists between brothers and sisters, which is quite significant. The brother swears to guard his sister for the rest of his life, and the sisters wish him good health and a long life.

Celebration of Bhai Dooj in different states

Due to fact that the holiday is held all throughout country, there are minor differences in how Bhai Dooj is observed. The celebrations of the event in various states of the country are listed below. Continue reading to learn more:

Maharashtra- The event is known as ‘Bhav Bij' in the state. Brothers are forced to sit on the floor while sisters draw a square and eat a bitter fruit known as Karith as part of the sibling festival. Sisters then apply tilak to their brothers' foreheads, sing aarti, and offer prayers for the sibling’s well-being.

West Bengal - The event is called as ‘Bhai Phonta' in West Bengal. A variety of ceremonies are part of the event. Sisters fast on the day of the ritual until it is over. Before giving prayers for the well-being of her brothers, sisters apply a tilak composed of sandalwood, kajal, and ghee to their brothers' foreheads. On this special occasion, a lavish feast is planned.

In Bihar - Bhai Dooj is celebrated differently in Bihar than in other areas of the country. On this occasion, sisters blaspheme and insult their brothers before pricking their tongues as a punishment and begging forgiveness. Brothers bless them and give them presents in return.