Hindu tradition · Bhai Dooj (two days after Diwali)
Bhai Dooj — The Brother and Sister Day
Diwali ends with a day just for brothers and sisters — and the story of how Yamuna's love for her brother Yama made it special forever.
The story · about 2 min read-aloud
After all the lamps and fireworks and sweets, Diwali ends with one quiet, lovely day — a day just for brothers and sisters. It is called Bhai Dooj.
The story goes back to Yamuna, the river goddess, and her brother Yama. Yama had a very serious job — he was the god who looked after people at the end of their lives — and he was always busy, travelling far and wide.
Yamuna missed her brother terribly. Again and again she invited him to visit her, and again and again he was too busy to come.
Then one day, on the second day after the new moon of Diwali, Yama finally came to his sister's home. Yamuna was overjoyed. She put a tilak — a red mark of love and protection — on his forehead, garlanded him with flowers, and cooked him a wonderful meal with her own hands.
Yama was so touched by his sister's love that he gave her a gift: 'From today, any brother who visits his sister on this day and receives her tilak will be blessed with a long and happy life.'
And that is exactly what brothers and sisters still do. On Bhai Dooj, sisters put a tilak on their brothers' foreheads, pray for their long and happy lives, and feed them sweets. Brothers give their sisters gifts and promise to always look after them.
It is a gentle reminder, at the end of the biggest festival of the year, that the brightest light in any home is the love between family.
The brightest light of Diwali is the love between family — and it deserves its own special day.
📜 Retold for children from the traditional story of Yama and Yamuna associated with Bhai Dooj (also called Bhaiya Dooj, Bhau Beej or Bhai Phonta in different parts of India).