header image

Celebration of Bhai Dooj / Bhai Phonta

traditions
Celebration of Bhai Dooj / Bhai Phonta

Festival of Bhai Dooj is quite popular in India and is celebrated with lot of fervour and gaiety. Brothers and sisters look forward to the occasion with immense enthusiasm.
To add charm to the occasion Bhai Dooj Gifts are exchanged between brothers and sisters as a token of love and appreciation.

Bhai Dooj is the time for family reunion as all brothers and sisters in the family get together. Close relatives and friends are also invited to celebrate Bhai Dooj in several families.
Delectable Basundi Poori and Shrikhand Poori is relished along with several other festival special dishes.

In West Bengal

Bhai Phota is celebrated with a lot of grandeur in Bengal. Sisters religiously fasts until she applies a 'phota' or mark with sandal wood paste on her brother's forehead, offers him sweets and gifts and prays for his long and healthy life. An 'arati' is also performed.

In Punjab

This day is known as 'Tikka' in Punjab. Sisters make a paste with saffron and rice and place an auspicious mark on their brother's foreheads as a symbolic gesture to ward off all harm.

In Uttar Pradesh

In Uttar Pradesh, the brother is gifted with an 'aabf'- a length of flax, knotted into a circular shape and dotted with sugar batashas. After performing all the rituals that include the sister applying a tilak of roli and rice on her brother's forehead and praying him with an arati to shed off all the evil effects, the story of Bhai Dooj is narrated.

In Bihar

The sisters of Bihar start this day by showering choicest of curses on their brothers. After doing so, they prick their own tongues as punishment, with a thorny, wild fruit and ask for their brothers' forgiveness for the curses, and also for past mistakes. There is also a unique custom of brother eating grains of bajri with water, from their sisters' hands.

Related Links

Bhai Dooj Bhai Dooj Preparations Bhai Dooj Traditions Bhai Dooj Celebrations

Festival Greetings 2023

Disclaimer
All the information on this website - Indian Festival Diary - is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Indian Festival Diary does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability and accuracy of this information. Any action you take upon the information you find on this website (Indian Festival Diary), is strictly at your own risk. Indian Festival Diary will not be liable for any losses and/or damages in connection with the use of our website. Read more...