On Bhai Dooj a sister applies a tilak on her brother’s forehead and prays for his long life and happiness. In 2026 Bhai Dooj falls on Wednesday, 11 November. It is Kartik Shukla Dwitiya, also called Yama Dwitiya, and it closes the five days of Diwali. Below are the Bhai Dooj puja vidhi, the tilak muhurat, the thali items and the katha.
Bhai Dooj 2026: date and tilak muhurat
| Detail | Time (2026, IST) |
|---|---|
| Bhai Dooj | Wednesday, 11 November 2026 |
| Dwitiya tithi begins | 10 November, 2:01 PM |
| Dwitiya tithi ends | 11 November, 3:55 PM |
| Aparahna (tilak) time – Delhi | 1:09 PM to 3:19 PM |
| Aparahna – Mumbai | 1:30 PM to 3:45 PM |
| Aparahna – Patna | 12:39 PM to 2:50 PM |
| Aparahna – Lucknow | 12:55 PM to 3:06 PM |
The scriptures recommend the Bhai Dooj tilak in Aparahna (the fourth part of the day). This year Dwitiya lasts until 3:55 PM on 11 November, so the whole Aparahna falls within it. If that time is not possible, the tilak can be done at any time while Dwitiya lasts. See your city’s sunrise and sunset in Today’s Panchang.
Bhai Dooj thali items
- Roli or kumkum and akshat (unbroken rice)
- A ghee lamp
- Kalawa (sacred thread)
- Sweets, mishri or batashe
- A dry coconut (gola) — many families give it to the brother
- Paan, supari, flowers and a little Ganga water
- A meal for the brother — food cooked by the sister is the heart of the festival
Bhai Dooj puja vidhi — step by step
- After bathing, the sister prepares the thali. In many homes Yamraj, Yamuna, Chitragupta and Ganesha are worshipped first.
- Draw a chowk with flour or rice paste and place a seat for the brother on it.
- At the auspicious time, seat the brother facing east or north, with a handkerchief to cover his head.
- The sister applies a roli tilak on his forehead and places rice on it.
- She ties kalawa on his wrist and gives him the dry coconut, paan and supari.
- She performs his aarti with the lamp and prays for his long life, happiness and success.
- She feeds him sweets. The brother gives her a gift or shagun and takes her blessings.
- The brother eats a meal at his sister’s home — the oldest custom of Bhai Dooj.
Bhai Dooj katha — Yama and Yamuna
Yamraj and Yamuna are brother and sister, children of the Sun god. Yamuna kept inviting her brother home, but he was always busy. One day — Kartik Shukla Dwitiya — he arrived unannounced. Yamuna welcomed him with great love, applied a tilak and served him a delicious meal.
Pleased, Yamraj asked her to choose a boon. Yamuna asked that every brother who visits his sister on this day, takes a tilak from her and eats at her home, should have no fear of Yama. Yamraj granted it. Since then the day has been celebrated as Yama Dwitiya and Bhai Dooj. At Vishram Ghat in Mathura, brothers and sisters bathe together in the Yamuna on this day.
Bhai Dooj across India and Nepal
- Bhau Beej — Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka
- Bhai Phonta — West Bengal
- Bhai Tika — Nepal (the last day of Tihar)
- The Kayastha community also performs Chitragupta Puja and worships pen and ink on this day.
Read more on Wikipedia and see the other Diwali days on our Dhanteras and Govardhan Puja pages.
Frequently asked questions
When is Bhai Dooj in 2026?
On Wednesday, 11 November 2026. Dwitiya tithi runs from 2:01 PM on 10 November to 3:55 PM on 11 November.
What is the auspicious time for the Bhai Dooj tilak?
Aparahna is best — 1:09 to 3:19 PM in Delhi, 1:30 to 3:45 PM in Mumbai and 12:39 to 2:50 PM in Patna.
Which direction should the brother face?
By tradition the brother faces east or north while receiving the tilak.
How can we celebrate Bhai Dooj if the sister lives far away?
Many families do the tilak ritual on a video call, and the sister worships Yama and Yamuna in her brother’s name.
