Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 27: Along with other parts of the country, Bhai Dooj was celebrated here today with traditional fervor and rituals, which involve applying `Tilak’ on the forehead of brothers by their sisters.
As sisters applied Tilak to their brother’s foreheads and wished them a long and prosperous life, brother in return gave their sisters gifts and promised to protect them always.
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The occasion witnessed great hustle-bustle in the markets, particularly at the shops selling sweets and gift items, where people were seen making purchases for their siblings.
Bhai Dooj is a festival symbolizing the love of brother-sister, which traditionally marks the bond between the siblings. On this day, sisters pray for their brothers to have long and happy lives by applying ‘Tika’ on the latter’s forehead. Both brothers and sisters exchange gifts and sweets on the occasion.
This year the festival was celebrated for two days. In some parts of the country the Bhai Dooj was held yesterday and in some parts, it was celebrated today.
The Jawans of Indian Army’s Durga Battalion celebrated Bhai Dooj today with women and girls at Line of Control (LoC) in Gulpur sector in Poonch district. Women applied ‘Tika’ on the forehead of the Army personnel and wished for the long and healthy lives of the Jawans.
“Our Battalion is posted here at LoC and today is the festival of Bhai Dooj. Our sisters are at home and we can’t meet them but here the sisters of Poonch celebrated the festival with us,” said an Army officer.
At Ved Mandir Bal Ahsram Jammu, girls applied Tika on forehead of the boy inmates and wished them success and long lives besides offering sweets.
There are several tales associated with the origin of the occasion and the most well-known are those of Lord Krishna and Yamraj. Bhai Dooj is celebrated on the second lunar day of Shukla Paksha in the Vikram Samvat Hindu calendar or of Shalivahan Shaka calendar month of Kartika.
Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj are quite similar up to an extent. However, on Bhai Dooj, sisters do not tie a thread or Rakhi on the wrists of their brothers like they do on Raksha Bandhan.
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