Sun Nov 03 06:10:00 UTC 2024: ## Bhai Dooj 2024: Sisters Celebrate Brothers with Tilak Ceremony and Festive Feast

**New Delhi, India** – The five-day Diwali festival culminates today with the celebration of Bhai Dooj, a special day dedicated to the bond between siblings. On this day, sisters perform a traditional “tilak” ceremony on their brothers, applying a red mark on their foreheads to bless them with long life and happiness.

According to the Hindu calendar, Bhai Dooj falls on the second day of the bright fortnight of the Kartik month. This year, the most auspicious time for the tilak ceremony is between 1:10 PM and 3:22 PM.

The traditional Bhai Dooj thali, used by sisters during the ceremony, is filled with symbolic offerings including vermillion, flowers, rice grains, betel nut, betel leaf, a silver coin, coconut, a garland, sweets, a sacred thread, “doob” grass, and a banana.

Sisters meticulously decorate a plate with kumkum (vermillion), sandalwood paste, fruits, flowers, sweets, and betel nut for the ceremony. A square is drawn using rice grains, where the brother sits, and the sister applies the tilak during the auspicious time. She then offers flowers, betel leaves, sweets, and black chickpeas to her brother and performs an aarti (ritual of waving a lamp) for his well-being.

In return, the brother gifts his sister and promises to protect her always.

**Important Rituals and Traditions:**

* Sisters should avoid accepting anything from their brothers during the tilak ceremony.
* The auspicious timing of the ceremony should be strictly observed, avoiding the Rahu Kalam (an inauspicious period).
* It is crucial to maintain harmony and avoid any arguments or fights on this day.
* To appease Yam Dev (the god of death), sisters should place a pot of water on the left side of the house in the evening and light a four-faced lamp filled with mustard oil. They should pray for the health and longevity of their family members. The water from the pot should be sprinkled in each corner of the house the next morning.

The origin of Bhai Dooj is deeply rooted in Hindu mythology. It is believed that Yamuna, the goddess of the Yamuna River, performed a fast for her brother Yamraj (the god of death) and offered him a special feast. Yamraj was pleased and granted her a boon, bestowing long life and protection on all sisters who celebrate this day with their brothers.

The significance of this day lies in its focus on the strong bond between siblings and the importance of cherishing familial relationships.

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