Bhai Dooj 2020 date, time, vidhi and schedule - Everything you need to know

• Bhai Dooj is observed year on year on Dwitiya (second day) of Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) in the month of Kartika.
  
  
• Bhai Dooj is observed on the fifth day of Diwali festival and becomes the grand finale to conclude the Diwali celebrations.
  
  
• Bhai Dooj has a lot of similarities with Raksha Bandhan. The main highlight of the event is to glorify and celebrate the brother – sister bond and relationship.
  

Bhai Dooj is very eagerly celebrated by most Hindu households to glorify and celebrate the brother – sister bond and relationship. Having a lot of similarities with Raksha Bandhan also called as Rakhi festival, the main essence of this festival consists of brothers visiting their sisters in their sisters’ marital home. During this process, the brothers carry gifts and sweets to their sisters and sisters provide a treat for their brothers. Bhai Dooj helps refresh the relationship between brothers and sisters. During this occasion, brothers also assure their care, protection and good will for their sisters lifelong.

Bhai Dooj event timing and Shubh Muhurat 2020

Bhai Dooj is observed during the Dwitiya tithi (second day) of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of the moon) in the month of Kartika (October – November). Bhai Dooj lands on the final day of the five-day long Diwali celebrations. In 2020, Bhai Dooj will be observed on November 16. The Dwitiya Tithi starts at 7:06 AM on November 16 and concludes at 3:56 AM on November 17. The best time for the Bhai Dooj event is between 1:10 PM to 3:18 PM on Monday, November 16, 2020.

The tradition and legend behind Bhai Dooj

Yamaraj, the god of death has a sister known as Yami. They always enjoyed a special relationship and liked each other so much. After starting her wedded life in her in-law’s house, Yami had been inviting Yama to her marital home. Though Yama wanted to make it sincerely for the love of his sister, he could not fulfill the wish due to his busy pre-occupations. One fine day, Yama decided to drop into her sister’s home all of a sudden and when it finally happened, Yami had the best day in her life. Seeing her beloved brother at her marital home, Yami greeted him with a lot of love, treats and special gifts. Yama too carried a lot of special gifts to her sister.

At the time of leaving his sister’s home, Yama granted a boon to Yami, who requested her brother to earmark this day for an annual visit. Yama said, the day will become a special occasion on the calendar when brothers will visit their sisters to refresh and celebrate their relationship. This is a very interesting story in the Hindu mythology that describes how Bhai Dooj started as a special festival around the Diwali season.

What to do on Bhai Dooj

The main difference between Ralsha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj is that during Raksha Bandha, the sisters visits their brothers and during Bhai Dooj, the brothers visit their sisters.

On the day of Bhai Dooj, the brothers plan their visit to their sister’s house around the Shubh Muhurat timing.

The sister invites her brother with an arati and hands-over a coconut to him seeking his life-long protection.

The sister applies tilak on her brother’s forehead and chants the mantras that pray for his health and longevity.

The brother hands-over the surprise gifts he got for his sister and then the sister treats him with a special meal and the delicacies prepared for him.

If one does not have a brother, prayers are offered to moon god considering him as her brother. If a brother lives far away, greetings are sent digitally and the sister prays to moon god for the welfare of her brother.