In short
- Bhai Dooj 2026
- Wednesday, 11 November 2026
- Tithi
- Kartik Shukla DwitiyaKartika Shukla Dwitiya (amanta)
- Fast
- Some sisters fast until the tilak
- Observed for
- The brother’s long life and the bond of siblings
What is it? The last day of Deepavali, on Kartika Shukla Dwitiya.
Why do families keep it? Yama visited his sister Yamuna on this day; she fed him and he promised that brothers who visit their sisters on Yama Dwitiya need not fear him.
What happens on the day? The sister does tilak and aarti for her brother and feeds him; the brother gives a gift and his blessing or promise of protection.
When to observe Bhai Dooj in 2026
| Dwitiya tithi begins | Tue, 10 Nov, 02:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Dwitiya tithi ends | Wed, 11 Nov, 03:54 PM |
| Sunrise | 06:40 AM |
| Aparahna Kaal | 01:10 PM – 03:20 PM |
| Rahu Kaala — keep aside | 12:05 PM – 01:26 PM |
What Bhai Dooj means
Yama and Yamuna
Yama, god of death, had not seen his sister Yamuna for years. When he came on Dwitiya she welcomed him with tilak, aarti and a meal, and he granted that no brother fed by his sister that day would die untimely.
Krishna and Subhadra
Another story says Krishna came home to Subhadra after killing Narakasura, and she welcomed him with tilak and lamps.
Afternoon is best
The tilak is done in Aparahna, the afternoon, while Dwitiya is running.
Yama at Yamuna’s door
Who is in it: Yama, Yamuna
Yama and Yamuna were children of the Sun. Yamuna loved her brother and kept asking him to visit, but Yama, busy with his work, never came.
On Kartika Shukla Dwitiya he arrived at last. Yamuna bathed, put a tilak on his forehead, did aarti and served him a feast.
Moved, Yama asked her to choose a boon. She asked that he come every year on this day, and that any brother who eats at his sister’s home on this day be spared untimely death.
Yama granted it — and the day became Yama Dwitiya.
What it teaches: Visit your sister; love kept is protection.
Bhai Dooj puja at home, step by step
Getting ready
- 1Prepare the thali: roli, rice, a lamp, sweets, coconut and a few flowers.
- 2Draw a small square of rice flour where the brother will sit.
The puja
- 1In the afternoon, seat the brother facing north or east.
- 2Apply roli and rice tilak on his forehead; tie kalawa (sacred thread) if that is your custom.
- 3Do aarti, offer sweets and a coconut or dry coconut (gola).
- 4Pray for his long life; the brother gives a gift and his blessing.
Closing the puja
- 1Feed the brother a full meal cooked by the sister.
What to keep ready for Bhai Dooj
Must have
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Roli or kumkum, rice | A little | Tilak |
| Lamp | 1 | Aarti |
| Sweets and a coconut or dry coconut | 1 | Offering to the brother |
| Kalawa (red thread) | 1 | Optional tying |
Good to have
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Paan and supari | — | Some North Indian homes |
Family and regional customs
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Sandalwood paste (phonta) with the little finger | — | Bhai Phonta in Bengal |
| Seven-colour tika | — | Bhai Tika in Nepal |
Good practice, and what to avoid
Please do
- Do the tilak in the afternoon while Dwitiya runs.
- Brothers: visit your sister.
Best avoided
- Quarrel on this day.
Bhai Dooj from region to region
Maharashtra and Goa
Bhau Beej, with a moon-shaped sweet (basundi-puri) and aarti.
Bengal
Bhai Phonta: sandalwood phonta with the little finger and the verse “Bhaiyer kopale dilam phonta…”.
Karnataka
Bhagini Bidige, the closing day of Deepavali.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
Bhagini Hasta Bhojanam — the brother eats from his sister’s hand.
Have the Bhai Dooj puja done for you
Two ways to do it. At a temple: the pandit takes your family’s name and gotra in the sankalpa and sends you the photos and video. At home: a pandit from our panel comes to you with the vidhi, and you sit for the puja yourself.
Where this comes from
- Skanda Purana and Padma Purana for Yama Dwitiya.
How we work out the dates: Stuti Mandir’s own panchanga engine places the Sun and Moon (Lahiri ayanamsa) and checks the tithi against sunrise, sunset and moonrise in Delhi, in IST. A printed panchanga may differ by a minute or so. Where your family’s panchanga or your purohita says otherwise, go with them.
Questions devotees ask us
When is Bhai Dooj 2026?
Wednesday, 11 November 2026. In Delhi, Kartika Shukla Dwitiya (amanta; Kartik Shukla Dwitiya in the North Indian count) begins Tue, 10 Nov, 02:00 PM and ends Wed, 11 Nov, 03:54 PM IST.
Will Mysuru and Delhi keep Bhai Dooj on the same day?
Mostly yes. But the sun rises and sets at different times in different towns, and a habba is kept on the day its tithi is running at the right hour — so timings shift, and once in a while the date does too. Change the town above to see yours.
What is the right time for Bhai Dooj tilak?
Aparahna kaal, the afternoon, while Dwitiya tithi is running; the table above shows it for your town.
Can sisters do the tilak for a brother living abroad?
Yes — many families do the aarti over a video call and send the tilak and sweets ahead.