Bhai Dooj It is celebrated today in the country and the festival celebrates the special bond between a brother and sister. The festival is celebrated with much enthusiasm after Diwali. On today’s special occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his heartfelt greetings to the nation on Sunday, hoping that the occasion will strengthen the bond between brothers and sisters.

The Prime Minister broadcast his message on platform

“Wishing all my countrymen a very happy Bhai Dooj. I hope this auspicious occasion deepens the affection between brothers and sisters,” wrote PM Modi.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah echoed similar sentiments and expressed hope that Bhai Dooj would bring joy to people’s lives. He wrote: “May this sacred festival, symbolizing love, dedication and devotion, bring unlimited happiness to all.”

Bhai Dooj is a day dedicated to love between siblings, in which sisters traditionally pray for the well-being of their brothers by applying a ceremonial ‘Tika’ on their foreheads. This ritual is usually accompanied by the exchange of sweets and gifts, which symbolize mutual care and strengthening family ties.

This precious festival is celebrated under various names in India. In North India it is known as Bhai Dooj, Bhau Bij or Bhai Beej, while in Maharashtra it is called Bhai Tika. In Bengal, he is known as Bhai Phonta. Southern states including Karnataka and Telangana celebrate the day as Yama Dwitiya, remembering a tale in which goddess Yamuna welcomed her brother Yamraj to her house for a banquet on this auspicious day of Kartik Dwitiya. Since then, the tradition has evolved: sisters pray for the long life of their brothers and brothers offer gifts in return.

While Bhai Dooj and Raksha Bandhan Although they share similarities in celebrating love between siblings, the rituals of Bhai Dooj differ slightly as the sisters do not tie a Rakhi thread as they do on Raksha Bandhan.

Rooted in ancient Hindu texts, Bhai Dooj conveys stories of eternal love between brothers, including stories of Lord Krishna and Yamraj, making it a deeply revered celebration throughout India.

(with ANI inputs)