Dwitiya

Bhai Dooj (Kartik Shukla Dwitiya) celebrates the sibling bond — specifically the brother-sister relationship and the sister's prayer for her brother's longevity. The mythological basis: Yama (god of death) visited his sister Yamuna on this day. She received him warmly, applied tilak, and served him a meal. Yama was so moved that he declared: whoever receives a tilak from his sister on this day will not face untimely death. The same theme echoes the Raksha Bandhan festival (Shravana Purnima) but with the gender roles reversed — on Bhai Dooj, the sister prays for the brother's longevity; on Raksha Bandhan, the brother vows to protect the sister.

1. 1Sisters prepare a puja thali with kumkum, rice, diya, and sweets
2. 2Sister applies tilak on the brother's forehead; feeds him sweets by hand
3. 3Brother gives gifts and promises protection
4. 4Family shares a meal together