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 Diwali
Bhai Duj
The Fifth day of Diwali Festival is known by the name
of 'Bhai Duj' or 'Bhaiya Dooj'. This festival marks the love between the
sisters and brothers and is known to strengthen the bond of care and
affection between the two. Through the means of this festival the
sisters commemorate their brothers with an auspicious tilak or a
vermilion mark on their foreheads. In return brothers are expected to
present some lavish gifts to their sisters. Well Bhai Duj is not only
about the applying of tilak on someone's forehead or giving out gifts,
but it also reflects the rich Indian culture and traditions, which gives
due
attention and respect to all kinds of relationships. Bhai Duj is a day
of getting together of families and friends, forgotten enmities,
enjoyment and merriment.
According to a legend associated with the celebrations of Bhai Duj,
Lord Krishna went to her sister Subhadra's home after killing the
Narakasura demon. Subhadra welcomed him with lamps, flowers, sweets an
applied vermilion mark on his forehead. Since that day sisters adopted
this practice of applying vermilion mark on their brother's forehead on
the day of Bhai Duj. Another legend linked with the Bhai Duj tells the
story of God Surya who got married to a princess by the name of Samjna,
also pronounced as Sangya. She gave birth to twins who were named Yama
and Varni or the river Yamuna. After some time Samjna left God Surya and
left behind her exact replica by the name of 'chaya' so that her husband
would not come to know about her absence.
Chaya turned out to be a very cruel stepmother who persuaded god Surya
to drive both Yama and Varni out of their home. Varni fell to the earth
and turned into river Yamuna while Yama went to the underworld and
became the King of Death. In the course of time Varni married a young
prince but kept on missing her brother. On the other hand Yama also kept
yearning for her sister and decided to pay her a visit.
On hearing about his visit Varni made a lot of preparations and
organized a great feast in his honor. Yama on receiving so much love
from his sister got overwhelmed and told Varni that since he hasn't
brought any gift for her so she should herself ask for any appropriate
gift. Varni asked him to grant her a boon according to which every
brother on the particular day of Bhai Duj would have to pay a visit to
his sister's home. Yama happily granted this wish of her and also said
that any brother who would gift a nice present to his sister on this day
would be granted with a long and healthy life.
Since that day Bhai Duj came to be celebrated with much fervor with
sisters applying tilak on their brother's forehead and brothers giving
precious gifts to their sisters as a token of their love and affection
for them.
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