Bhau-beej

Bhai Dooj, Bhai Tika, Bhaubeej, Bhai Beej, Bhai Phonta or Bhratri Dwitiya is a festival celebrated by Hindus on the second lunar day of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of Kartika, the eighth month of the Vikram Samvat Hindu calendar or the Shalivahana Shaka calendar. It is celebrated during the Diwali or Tihar festival and Holi festival. The celebrations of this day are similar to the festival of Raksha Bandhan.

In the southern part of India, the day is celebrated as Yama Dwitiya. In the Kayastha community, two Bhai Doojs are celebrated. The more famous one comes on the second day after Diwali. But the lesser-known one is celebrated a day or two after Diwali. In Haryana and Uttar Pradesh a ritual is also followed, a dry coconut (named gola in regional language) with tied along its width for worshipping is also used at the time of doing '' aarti'' of a brother. In Bengal the day is celebrated as Bhai Phota, which comes one day after Kali Puja.

Regional Variations

The festival is known as:

*Bhai Dooj () in the entire Northern part of India, observed during the Diwali festival. In Awadh and Purvanchal regions of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, it is also known as Bhaiya Dooj. It is widely celebrated by Maithils in Nepal and Bihar as Bhardutiya and people from various other ethnic groups. The first day of this New Year is observed as Govardhan Pūja.
*Bhai Teeka () in Nepal, where it is the most important festival after Dashain (Vijaya Dashmi / Dussehra). Observed on the fifth day of Tihar festival, it is widely celebrated by Maithils in Nepal as Bhardutiya Bhai Tika followed by the people of various other ethnic groups among Madhesis. While, the Newaris celebrate it as Kija Puja. The sisters put a vertical Tika of seven colours known as Saptarangi Tika in their brother's forehead.
*Bhai Phonta () in Bengal and it takes place every year on the second day after Kali Puja. It is mainly observed in West Bengal, Tripura, Bangladesh.
*Bhai Jiuntia () only in western Odisha.
*Bhau Beej, or Bhav Bij () or Bhai Beej amongst the Marathi, Gujarati and Konkani-speaking communities in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Karnataka.
*Another name for the day is Yamadwitheya or Yamadvitiya, after a legendary meeting between Yama the god of Death and his sister Yamuna (the famous river) on Dwitheya (the second day after new moon).
*Other names include Bhatru Dviteeya, or Bhatri Ditya or Bhaghini Hastha Bhojanamu in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

According to Hindu religion, after slaying the evil demon Narakasura, Lord Krishna visited his sister Subhadra who gave him a warm welcome with sweets and flowers. She also affectionately applied ''tilaka'' on Krishna's forehead. Some believe this to be the origin of the festival.

The ceremony

On the day of the festival, sisters invite their brothers for a sumptuous meal often including their favourite dishes/sweets. The procedure may be different in Bihar and central India. The whole ceremony signifies the duty of a brother to protect his sister, as well as a sister's blessings for her brother.

Carrying forward the ceremony in traditional style, sisters perform '' arti'' for their brother and apply a red '' tika'' on the brother's forehead. This ''tika'' ceremony on the occasion of Bhai Bij signifies the sister's sincerest prayers for the long and happy life of her brother and treat them with gifts. In return, elder brothers bless their sisters and may treat them also with gifts or cash.

As it is customary in Haryana and Maharashtra to celebrate the auspicious occasion of Bhau-beej, women who do not have a brother worship the Moon Chandra instead. They apply '' mehendi'' on girls as their tradition. The sister whose brother lives far away from her and cannot go to her house, sends her sincerest prayers for the long and happy life of her brother through the moon god. She performs ''aarti'' for the Moon. This is the reason why children of Hindu parents affectionately call the Moon ''Chandamama'' (''Chanda'' means moon and ''mama'' means mother's brother).

The celebration

Bhai Phonta

Bhai Phonta in West Bengal is celebrated with much splendour. The ceremony is marked with many rituals along with a grand feast arranged for the brothers. It is necessary that, both brother and sister are more than 5 years of age.

Bhai Bij

The festival of Bhai Bij is popular in Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa and is celebrated with great fervour and gaiety. Brothers and sisters look forward to the occasion with immense enthusiasm. To add charm to the occasion, Bhai Bij gifts are given to brothers from sisters as a token of love and appreciation.

Bhav Bij is a time for family reunions as all brothers and sisters in the family get together. Close relatives and friends are also invited to celebrate the Bhav Bij in many families. Special dishes for the festival include the Maharashtra sweet called '' basundi'' '' poori'' or ''kheerni poori''.
On this occasion, brothers and sisters exchange gifts. And both of them pray for their long and happy life.

Bhai Tika in Nepal

Bhai Tika in Nepal is also known as ''Bhai Tihar'' meaning ''Tihar (festival) of brothers''. On this day, sisters pray to Yamraj for a long life and prosperity for their brothers. The ritual involves sisters marking the forehead of their brothers with a seven coloured long tika. The rest of the ritual is similar to that performed by Hindus elsewhere. A special garland of the '' Gomphrena globosa'' flower is made by the sister as an offering to their brothers.

Rabindranath Tagore and the Partition of Bengal

Rachel Fell McDermott, Professor of Asian Studies at Columbia University, describes Rabindranath Tagore's ''rakhi-bandhan'' ceremonies, inspired by the Bhai Dooj ritual, which were organized to protest the 1905 Partition of Bengal

In 1905 Rabindranath Tagore extended the symbolism of ''Brother's Second'', a ritual of bonding between brothers and sisters that is celebrated right after the Pujas have concluded, to evoke friendship between Hindus and Muslims: members of both communities would tie red threads of brotherhood on each other's wrists. All throughout the partition period, these rakhi-bandhan ceremonies were regularly announced in the Bengali and English papers. In addition, some landlords, even the British Indian Association, saw that the boycott and emphasis upon swadeshi items were disturbing peace with rural Muslims in their areas, and withdrew their support.

References

{{HinduFestivals

Diwali
Hindu festivals
October observances
November observances
Festivals in Maharashtra
Hindu festivals in India
Observances set by the Vikram Samvat calendar
Religious festivals in India
Festivals in Nepal
Traditions involving siblings