As per the legends in Hinduism, Bhaiya Dooj is of great significance and values in Hinduism. Almost all the festivals and customs in Hinduism are related to special characters and ideals which justify its celebration and help the population to understand its significance.
This story of Bhaiya Dooj has passed on to
generations from generations. It goes that there lived a family in a village,
which had two children, an elder sister and a younger brother. Since the sister
was elder, she got married and went away but the brother was left behind. With
time he grew up and the picture of his sister faded in his vision but he would
miss her on special days when others would celebrate with their sisters.
One fine day he asked his mother that why didn’t
his sister come to meet them over the past years to which his mother replied
that there was a dangerous and scary forest in between the two villages that
had to be crossed and hence nobody travelled from the other village to this
village.
The boy decided to go and meet his sister.
Without considering the dangers he set out and when he faced all the dangers in
the forest he prays and requested the snakes, mountains etc. to let him go and
meet his sister once and then eat him when he returns. To this, the dangers let
him go. Finally he reaches and meets his sister; she embraces him and treats
him with care and affection.
When he decides to go back he tells his sister
that he’ll soon be dead. To this his sister packs her bags and sets out with
him through the forest. She packs with her offerings to make to the dangers in
order to save her brother. When they confront the snake, she offers milk and
the satisfied snake leaves. When the tiger attacks, she offers meat and the
tiger leaves as well. When the mountains threaten she prays and offers metals
and flowers and the mountain also lets them pass by safely.
After crossing all the dangers she is tired and
thirsty and goes to fetch water from a place where the gypsies are working,
while her brother rests under a tree. The gypsies tell the girl that her
brother is still not out of danger and the only way to save him is to curse and
abuse him throughout, get him married and demand all the rituals and customs to
be performed on her first.
The boy and the village are shocked to see the
loving sister turning into evil and abusing him throughout. The whole village
wanted her to leave as early as possible as she had been creating troubles.
When the boy is about to get married she insists that the 'sehra’ should be
tied to her forehead first, where she finds a snake instead of a string and so
saves his brother.
At the time of the 'pheras’ (around the fire)
the boy falls into a dead faint as the evil spirits were about to take him, but
by mistake his sister was asleep. By the noise his sister wakes up and comes
abusing and cursing in the courtyard and listening to these abuses and seeing
the white blaze in her eyes the evils fled away and the boy is saved.
When the sister is about to leave she narrates
the whole incident about the gypsies’ prediction to the people and this when
the people and her brother realize what a caring and affectionate sister she
was and how she had been taking all dangers on her to save her bother. Her
brother prays that may every brother get a sister like her. Hence 'Bhaiya dooj’
was celebrated.
