Story of Bhaiya Dooj

 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.