Bhai  Dooj (Day 5)

(Celebration of the sister-brother loving relationship)

Diwali, the festival of lights, is a five day long celebration. The fifth or the last day of Diwali is Bhaiya Dooj, popularly known as Bhai Dooj. Bhai Dooj falls on the second day after the new moon. And it is a day to pray for the long life of one's brother, who is referred to as “bhayya or bhai”.

This festival marks the love between sisters and brothers, and is celebrated to strengthen the bond of care and affection between the two. Through the means of this festival, sisters commemorate their brothers with an auspicious tilak or a vermilion mark on their foreheads. In return, brothers give gifts to their sisters.

Name of the Festival

Each region has its own name for this festival.

Bhayya Duj (Hindi)

Bhagini Hasta Bhojana (Sanskrit)

Yama Dwitiya

Sodara Bidige (Karnataka)

Bhai Phota (Bengal)

Bhai-Tika (Nepal)

Bhav-Bij (Maharashtra)

Karthigai

Significance

The essence of the Bhai dooj festival is that it is celebrated to strengthen the love between brothers and sisters. It is a day of food-sharing, gift-giving and reaching out to the innermost depths of the heart. Brothers and sisters indulge themselves on this day by giving each other gifts.

Traditionally, Bhai duj is applicable for brothers of married women. Apart from strengthening the bond, it gave the chance for the brother to visit and check on the conditions of his sister at her husband's place.

Celebration

So traditionally, all brothers visit their sisters on this day and give them gifts. Sisters too, pray for their brothers' long life and good health, and general well-being.

Story of Yama and Yami

Once upon a time, long long ago, Surya, the sun God, was married to a beautiful princess called Samjna (also pronounced as Sangya). In the course of a year, she presented him with twins. The twins were christened Yama, and Varni or Yamuna, and they grew up together. However, Samjna, after some time, was unable to bear the brilliance of her husband, and so decided to go back to earth. However, she left her shadow, Chaya, her exact replica, behind, so that to Surya, it would appear that she was still there.

Chaya turned out to be a cruel stepmother and was very unkind to the twins. She soon gave birth to her own children, and then convinced Surya to drive out Samjna’s twins, Yama and Varni from the heavens. Varni fell to earth and became the river Yamuna, and Yama went to the underworld (hell) and became the Lord of Death.

Many years passed since this incident. Varni married a handsome prince and was content and happy in her life. But she missed her brother and yearned to see him. Yama, too, missed his sister and decided one day to visit her. Overjoyed by news of her brother's visit, Varni prepared a great feast in his honor. It was two days into Deepavali, so her home was already decorated with lamps. She lovingly prepared a feast, including all the sweets and delicacies that her brother loved. Her husband, the handsome prince, was very happy seeing Varni so dedicatedly preparing a welcome for her brother.

Yama, too, was delighted by his sister's loving welcome, and the brother and sister spent a pleasant evening in each other's company, after their long period of separation. When it was time for Yama to leave, he turned to his sister and said, "Dear Varni, you have welcomed me so lovingly. But I did not bring you a gift. Ask, therefore, for something and it will be yours."

"Your visit is gift enough," replied Varni lovingly. "I have no need for anything else."

But Yama was persistent. "You must let me give you a gift," he insisted.

"Okay," agreed Varni, taking a moment to think. "I ask that all brothers should remember their sisters on this day and visit them if they can, and that, on this day, all sisters should pray for the happiness of their brothers."

"So be it!" proclaimed Yama, "And I grant all brothers who give their sisters a loving gift on this day a long and healthy life!"

Padwa, Balipratipada (Day 4)

Bali Pratipadā is the fourth day of Deepavali (Diwali), the Hindu festival of lights. It is celebrated in honour of the notional return of the demon (Daitya)- king Bali to earth. Bali Padyami falls in the Gregorian calendar months October–November.

Another interesting Diwali legend is of King Bali. He was a generous ruler but also very ambitious. To propitiate the gods he performed a Yagna (fire sacrifice). His Yagna was so successful that even the gods were terrified to appear before him and grant him a boon in the fear that what he might ask something which is beyond their capacity. Some of the Gods pleaded Vishnu to check King Bali's power. Vishnu came to earth in the form of a dwarf dressed as priest.

When the priest reached King Bali's court, he asked him to ask for anything he wanted. The priest said "You are the ruler of the three worlds: the Earth, the world above the skies and the underworld. Would you give me the space that I could cover with three strides?" King Bali laughed. This request seemed strange to all the courtiers, but king Bali granted it. Surely a dwarf could not cover much ground, thought the King, who agreed to dwarf's request.

Once the request was granted to him, the priest, who was none but Visnu in disguise, submerged the entire world (Mrityu-loka) with one step, with the second he submerged heaven (Swarga-loka) and for the third step; there was no respectable place to put his foot down and so he asked the bewildered Bali for some respectable place to this foot so that the boon could be fulfilled. Left with no alternative, the noble but exasperated King Bali offered his head for the purpose. To his surprise, the priest not only lost no time in placing his foot over King Bali's head, but also thrust Bali into the nether worlds (Patala-loka) which as per Hindu cosmogony is hell and lies below the surface of the earth.

The fourth day of Diwali (Bali Prati-pada) is celebrated in memory of this. Prati-pada here translates as "below the opponent's foot" (Prati=opponent, Pada=foot). During Diwali festival people celebrates the victory of good over evil.

Lakshmi Puja (Day 3)

The Diwali story of Lakshmi Puja goes like this. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi manifested herself on the day when the demons and deities were churning the ocean together to find out the 'drink of immortality’; Thus Diwali festival is celebrated to commemorate the birth of the Goddess of Wealth. Whatever the reasons may be, however, Diwali, has always been associated with the worshipping of Lakshmi.

The third day is the main festive day. "Lakshmi-Puja" on Diwali is performed to drive away the shadows of evil spirits. . It is believed that on this day Lakshmi walks through the green fields and loiters through the bye-lanes and showers her blessings on man for plenty and prosperity. When the sun sets in the evening and ceremonial worship is finished all the homemade sweets are offered to the goddess as "NAIVEDYA" and distributed as "PRASAD". Feasts are arranged and gifts are exchanged on this day gaily dressed men, women and children go to temples and fairs, visit friends and relatives. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya.

Naraka Chaturdashi (Day 2)

Killing of Narakasura

Narak Chaturdasi is the second day of festivities, and is also called Choti Diwali. The Hindu literature narrates that the asura (demon) Narakasura was killed on this day by Krishna, Satyabhama and Kali. The day is celebrated by early morning religious rituals and festivities followed on.

Narakasura ruled the kingdom of Pradyoshapuram. Puranas have it that Naraka, son of Bhudevi, acquired immense power from a blessing given by Lord Brahma after a severe penance. Under his rule, the villagers suffered a lot of hardship as the demon tortured the people and kidnapped the women to be imprisoned in his palace with his invincible might.

Unable to bear the tyranny of the demon, the celestial beings pleaded with Lord Krishna to save them from his torture. But Naraka had a boon that he would face death only at the hands of his mother Bhudevi. So, Krishna asks his wife Sathyabhama, the reincarnation of Bhudevi, to be his charioteer in the battle with Naraka.

When Krishna fell unconscious after being hit by an arrow of Naraka, Sathyabhama takes the bow and aims the arrow at Naraka, killing him instantly. Later Lord Krishna reminds her of the boon she had sought as Bhudevi. The Narakasura Vadh by Sathyabhama could also be taken to interpret that parents should not hesitate to punish their children when they step in to the wrong path.

The message of Naraka Chaturdashi Parva is that the good of the society should always prevail over one's own personal bonds. It is interesting to note that Bhudevi, mother of the slain demon Naraka, declared that his death should not be a day of mourning but an occasion to celebrate and rejoice. It is said Lord Krishna had an oil bath to rid himself off the blood spattered on his body when Naraka was killed.

The tradition is followed and people offer prayers on the previous day of the Naraka Chaturdashi to the vessel in which water is being heated for having bath. Hindus light fireworks, which are regarded as the effigies of Narakasura who was killed on this day.

Dhanteras - Festival of Wealth (Day 1)

The festival of Dhanteras falls in the month of Kartik (Oct-Nov) on the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight. This auspicious day is celebrated two days before the festival of lights, Diwali. For some, the day celebrates the churning of cosmic ocean of milk between the forces of good and forces of evil; this day marks the birthday of Lakshmi – the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity, and the birthday of Dhanvantari – the God of Health and Healing.

How to Celebrate Dhanteras:

On Dhanteras, Lakshmi - the Goddess of wealth - is worshiped to provide prosperity and well being. It is also the day for celebrating wealth, as the word 'Dhan' literally means wealth and 'Tera' comes from the date 13th.

In the evening, the lamp is lit and Dhan-Lakshmi is welcomed into the house. Alpana or Rangoli designs are drawn on pathways including the goddess' footprints to mark the arrival of Lakshmi. Aartis or devotional hymns are sung eulogizing Goddess Lakshmi and sweets and fruits are offered to her.

Hindus also worship Lord Kuber as the treasurer of wealth and bestower of riches, along with Goddess Lakshmi on Dhanteras. This custom of worshiping Lakshmi and Kuber together is in prospect of doubling the benefits of such prayers.

People flock to the jewellers and buy gold or silver jewellery or utensils to venerate the occasion of Dhanteras.

Stories & Legends of Deepavali

India, the land of rich cultural heritage, has one or the other festival for every month. It is the spiritual and religious richness in India that each festival is related to some or other deity. One of such festival is the 'festival of lights' - Deepawali. It is the glorious occasion that is not restricted to one day, but extended to a five-day celebration. All through these five days, people are in a festive mood. Adding to the festivity is the colourful display of lights. Like every other Hindu festival, stories from Mythology are associated with Diwali too. Given below is information on the celebrations of Diwali.

Return of Shri Ram To Ayodhyaa

The most famous legend behind the celebrations of Diwali is about the prince of Ayodhya Nagri - Lord Shri Ram. The king of Lanka, Ravana, kidnapped Ram's wife - Sita from the jungle, where they were staying as per the instructions of King Dashratha, father of Lord Ram. In order to freed Sita from Ravana's custody, Ram attacked him. This was followed by a war, in which, Ram defeated Ravan and released Sita from his custody. On the arrival of Lord Ram along with his wife Sita, people of Ayodhya decorated their homes as well as the city of Ayodhyaa by lighting tiny diyas all over, in order to welcome their beloved prince Shri Ram and Devi Sita.

Incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi

On the auspicious new moon day, which is 'Amavasyaa' of the Hindi month of Kartik, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity - Lakshmi was incarnated. She appeared during the churning of the ocean, which is known as 'Samudra Manthan', by the demons on one side and 'Devataas' (Gods) on the other side. Therefore, the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the Lakshmi Pujan, on the day of Diwali, became a tradition.

Lord Krishna Destroyed Demon Narakasur

One famous story behind the celebrations of Diwali is about the demon king Narakasur, who was ruler of Pragjyotishpur, a province to the South of Nepal. After acquiring victory over Lord Indra during a war, Narakasur snatched away the magnificent earrings of Mother Goddess Aditi, who was not only the ruler of Suraloka, but also a relative of Lord Krishna's wife - Satyabhama. Narakasur also imprisoned sixteen thousand daughters of Gods and saints in his harem. With the support of Lord Krishna, Satyabhama defeated Narakasur, released all the women from his harem and restored the magnificent earrings of Mother Goddess Aditi.

The Return of The Pandavas

The great Hindu epic 'Mahabharata' has another interesting story related to the 'Kartik Amavasyaa'. According to the story, 'the Pandavas', the five brothers Yudhishthhira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahdeva, were sentenced to thirteen years exile as a result of their defeat against 'the Kauravas' - Duryodhana and his ninety nine brothers, at the game of dice. Therefore, the Pandavas spent thirteen years in the jungles and returned to their kingdom on the day of 'Kartik Amavasyaa'. On their return, the people of their kingdom welcomed the Pandavas by celebrating the event by lighting the earthen lamps all over in their city.

Coronation of King Vikramaditya

Another legend or story about Diwali celebrations relates to one of the greatest Hindu King - Vikramaditya. It was the day when he was coroneted and the people celebrated this event by lighting tiny earthen 'diyas'.

Diwali the Festival of Lights

Diwali means "series of lights" and is it also known as दीपोत्सव dīpotsava ". This is the most well-known of the Indian festivals: it is celebrated throughout India. It usually takes place eighteen days after Dusshera. It is colloquially known as the "festival of lights", for the common practice is to light small oil lamps (called diyas) and places them around the home. The celebration of the festival is invariably accompanied by the exchange of sweets and the explosion of fireworks. As with other Indian festivals, Diwali signifies many different things to people across the country. In north India, Diwali celebrates Rama's homecoming that is his return to Ayodhya after the defeat of Ravana and his coronation as king. Everywhere, it signifies the renewal of life, and accordingly it is common to wear new clothes on the day of the festival; similarly, it heralds the approach of winter and the beginning of the sowing season.

Diwali is a five-day long festival, each day being significant in its own terms. The celebrations commence on Aswayuja Bahula Chaturdashi and culminate on Kartika Shudha Vijaya.

The first day of this festival is called 'Dhan Trayodashi' or 'Dhanteras', wherein people worship Goddess Lakshmi and purchase utensils made of silver.

The second day of Diwali is called 'Narak Chaturdashi', which is popular as 'Chhoti Diwali'.

The third day of Diwali, which is also called 'Badi Diwali', is the main day of the celebrations of the festival. People perform Lakshmi Puja (worship of divine Goddess Lakshmi) on this day and offer prayers to her, to bless them with wealth and prosperity. 

The fourth day of Diwali is devoted to Govardhan Pooja (worship of Lord Govardhan Parvat).

The fifth day of the Diwali is Bhai Dooj, the time to honor the brother-sister relationship.

Bursting crackers, social gatherings, exchange of greetings, sweets and gifts with loved ones are also part of the festival. During the festival, people following Hinduism offer prayers, and worship their favorite deity. Worshipping of Goddess Lakshmi, worship of Lord Ganesha, worship of Mother Kali, worship of Lord Chitragupta and worship of Govardhan Parvat is considered very auspicious for the occasion.