Every year, Bhai Dooj, the festival that celebrates the bond of brother and sister, is celebrated a day after Diwali. Much like Raksha Bandhan, Bhai Dooj is also celebrated across the country and Bhai Dooj is a bit different as on this day sisters pray for the long and happy lives of brothers but don’t tie rakhi on their wrist.
Bhai Dooj, also known as Yama Dwitiya or Bhai Tika is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Kartika on the second lunar day of the 'Shukla Paksha' following ‘Govardhan Pooja’ or ‘Annakoot.’ This year the festival would be celebrated on November 6.
Bhai Dooj 2021: Date and Time
Bhai Dooj 2021 Date – Saturday, November 6, 2021
Bhai Dooj Aparahna Time – 1:10 pm to 3:21 pm
Starting of Dwitiya Tithi – 11:14 pm on Nov 5, 2021
Ending of Dwitiya Tithi – 07:44 pm on Nov 6, 2021
Bhai Dooj 2021: Significance
The legend behind this festival of brother and sister is that Yamaraj, the Hindu god of death, paid a visit to his sister the Yamuna on this day after the latter failed to see her brother many times. When he finally met his sister after a long time, he was greeted by the Yamuna grandly and lovingly, which impressed Yamaraj so much that he asked the Yamuna to ask for anything in return.
After that, Yamuna urged that he dedicate a day each year when Yamaraj would pay a visit to her sister's home, and thus the tradition was born as a way to honour the bond between siblings.
Another story behind this festival is that after killing the Demon King Narakasura, Lord Krishna paid a visit to his sister Subhadra, who greeted him warmly. She also applied tika to his forehead with affection, and the day is celebrated as Bhai Dooj since then.
Bhai Dooj 2021: Mantra
Ganga puje Yamuna ko, Yami puje Yamraj ko, Subhadra puje Krishna ko,
Ganga Yamuna Neer Bahe, Mere Bhai aap badhein, phule phalein.
Bhai Dooj 2021: Puja Samagri
Two wooden chowkis, a red cloth for covering the chowki meant for the deities, a cloth or a kerchief, roli or kumkum and/ or chandan for putting tika, whole coconut with its husk, a whole dried coconut without its shell, an aarti thaali, two brass lamps, ghee or oil for lighting the lamp, cotton wicks, akshat, sweets, paan and supari, dakshina, flowers, fruits, kalava or mauli, prepare bhog Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu, and camphor (Kapur).
Bhai Dooj 2021: Wishes and Messages
Bhai Dooj 2021: Images
