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Bhaiya Dooj 2025 Puja: Bhai Dooj will be celebrated today, on October 23, marking the bond of love and protection between brothers and sisters.
Bhai Dooj 2025: Sisters apply tilak, pray for their brothers and exchange sweets and gifts. (AI generated image)
Bhaiya Dooj 2025 Puja: Bhai Dooj marks the conclusion of the five-day Diwali festival and celebrates the deep love between brothers and sisters. The day is filled with rituals, prayers, and family gatherings. Like Raksha Bandhan, it highlights the bond of care and protection between siblings. This year, Bhai Dooj will be observed on Thursday, October 23, with families across India coming together for the special tilak ceremony.
Known by different names across regions — Bhaiya Dooj in North India, Bhau Beej in Maharashtra, Bhai Phonta in Bengal, and Bhai Tika in Nepal — the festival conveys one shared emotion: love between siblings. On this day, sisters pray for their brothers’ health and long life, while brothers promise to protect and support them.
Bhai Dooj 2025: Puja Time
According to the Hindu calendar, Bhai Dooj falls on the Dwitiya Tithi of the Kartik month’s Shukla Paksha. This year, the Dwitiya Tithi begins at 8:16 PM on October 22 and ends at 10:46 PM on October 23. The most auspicious time to perform the Bhai Dooj tilak ceremony, also known as the Aparahna Muhurat, is between 1:13 PM and 3:28 PM on October 23.
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During this period, sisters perform the tilak ritual, offer prayers, and feed sweets to their brothers. The ceremony is believed to bring blessings, happiness, and prosperity to both. Families also exchange gifts, share festive meals, and enjoy the final celebration of the Diwali season together.
Bhai Dooj 2025: Rituals
Sisters begin the day by bathing early and preparing a puja thali with roli, rice, sweets, coconut, and a diya. They apply a tilak of vermilion and rice grains to their brothers’ foreheads, tie a sacred thread (kalava) around their wrists, and perform aarti while praying for their well-being.
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After the ritual, they offer sweets to their brothers, symbolising love and blessings. In return, brothers give gifts or money as a token of affection. The ceremony concludes with laughter, warmth, and family meals that bring everyone together.
In many households, traditional dishes and sweets such as laddoos and kheer are prepared for the occasion.
The Story Behind Bhai Dooj
Several legends are associated with Bhai Dooj, each adding depth to the festival’s meaning. One of the most well-known stories is about Lord Krishna and his sister Subhadra. After Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura, Subhadra welcomed him home with flowers, sweets, and a tilak on his forehead, marking the beginning of this tradition.
Another tale features Yamraj, the god of death, and his sister Yamuna. When Yamraj visited her on Dwitiya Tithi, she greeted him with a tilak, sweets, and prayers.
Moved by her love, Yamraj declared that any brother who visits his sister on this day and receives a tilak will be blessed with a long and prosperous life. For this reason, Bhai Dooj is also known as Yama Dwitiya in some regions.
Regional Traditions And Beliefs
While the rituals remain broadly similar, celebrations vary across states. In West Bengal, the day is known as Bhai Phonta, where sisters fast until they apply a tilak on their brothers’ foreheads.
In Maharashtra, families celebrate Bhau Beej with special dishes and gifts. In South India, the festival is called Yama Dwitiya, and in Nepal, it is known as Bhai Tika, where the tilak is made with seven colours for good fortune.
Nibandh Vinod is a seasoned journalist with nearly three decades of experience, known for his in-depth coverage of events and festivals, as well as his expertise in SEO-driven content at News18.com. A tech-savv…Read More
Nibandh Vinod is a seasoned journalist with nearly three decades of experience, known for his in-depth coverage of events and festivals, as well as his expertise in SEO-driven content at News18.com. A tech-savv… Read More
October 23, 2025, 06:05 IST