When is Bhai Dooj 2025? Date, Muhurat, Significance and Rituals

If you are searching for queries like, when is Bhai Dooj, here’s the quick answer upfront. Bhai Dooj 2025 falls on Thursday, 23 October 2025. The Dwitiya Tithi begins at 8:16 p.m. on October 22 and ends at 10:46 p.m. on October 23. Most panchang authorities recommend performing the tilak during the Aparahna (afternoon) window. For New Delhi, that’s 1:13 pm to 3:28 pm.

What this Bhai Dooj 2025 date and muhurat really means is that the traditional sister–brother tilak should be done in the afternoon, even though the tithi spans the late evening of the previous day to late evening on the festival day. Continue reading for city-wise muhurat, the stories behind the festival, regional names, step-by-step rituals, FAQs, and future dates.

Bhai Dooj 2025: Date and City-wise Muhurat

Festival date: Thursday, 23 October 2025.

Dwitiya Tithi: Starts 8:16 pm, 22 Oct; Ends 10:46 pm, 23 Oct.

Afternoon tilak (Aparahna) window in major Indian cities

New Delhi: 1:13 pm – 3:28 pm, widely referenced in panchang summaries.
Mumbai: 1:33 pm – 3:50 pm, as listed by an India-wide muhurat compilation.
Kolkata: 12:30 pm – 2:47 pm as per popular panchang sources.
Bengaluru: 1:14 pm – 3:35 pm as per popular panchang sources.
Hyderabad: 1:10 pm – 3:30 pm as per popular panchang sources.

What is Bhai Dooj?

Bhai Dooj, also called Bhratri Dwitiya or Yama Dwitiya, is the second lunar day of the bright fortnight of Kartik. Sisters apply a protective tilak on their brothers’ foreheads, perform aarti, and pray for their long lives and prosperity; in return, brothers offer blessings and Bhai Dooj gifts. Two well-known legends ground this tradition:

Yama and Yamuna: The god of death, Yama, visits his sister Yamuna. She welcomes him with aarti and a tilak. Moved by her affection, Yama grants that brothers receiving a sister’s tilak on this day will be blessed with longevity.

Krishna and Subhadra: After slaying Narakasura, Krishna visits his sister Subhadra, who greets him with sweets, flowers, aarti, and a tilak. Many link this gesture to the modern Bhai Dooj rite.

In short, the ritual is a living symbol of care, protection, and gratitude between siblings.

Regional Variations and Alternate Names

The festival is pan-Indian, but names and styles shift by region. Here’s a handy table you can lift straight into your copy deck.

You will also hear Yamadvitiya, Bhatru Dviteeya, and local terms across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana that mirror the same sentiment.

Rituals and Traditions: A Clear, Practical Walkthrough

Puja essentials (thali): diya, roli or kumkum, akshat (rice), flowers, incense, a small kalash or water vessel, sweets, and pre-arranged gifts.

Step-by-step:

• Set the space: Clean the puja area and lay the thali. Light the diya to invoke auspiciousness.
• Tilak and Akshat: The sister applies a red mark with roli/kumkum and places rice grains on the brother’s forehead.
• Aarti: She performs aarti, circling the thali clockwise, praying for health, success, and a long, protected life.
• Sweet bite: Offer a sweet or the brother’s favourite bite. Food is part ritual, part comfort, and all heart.
• Gifts and blessings: Exchange gifts, then seek the elders' blessings to complete the ceremony with warmth.

Why Bhai Dooj Matters

Let’s break it down. Festivals endure because they compress values into small, repeatable gestures. With Bhai Dooj, three layers stand out:

Protection: The tilak is a visual prayer for safety and long life.

Gratitude: The aarti and sweets are a sister’s way of saying thank you for care across the years.

Responsibility: Gifts from brothers and blessings exchanged both ways mark a shared commitment to support one another.

Beyond individual homes, the festival also ties into larger cultural rhythms. In the east, it follows Kali Puja; across India, it concludes the five-day Diwali cycle, a period that celebrates light, renewal, and community.

FAQs on Bhai Dooj