Regional Names
The festival is known as:
- Bhai Phota (Bengali:ভাই ফোঁটা) in Bengal and it takes place every year on the first or the second day of the Kali Puja festival.
- Bhai Bij, Bhau-beej or Bhav Bij amongst the Marathi and Konkani-speaking communities in the states of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka;
- Bhai Tika in Nepal, where it is the second most important festival after Vijaya Dashami.
- In Manipur this festival is celebrated under the name Ningol Chakuba. Brother-Sister bonding is present here also.
- Another name for the day is Yamadwitheya or Yamadvitiya, after a legendary meeting between Yama the god of Death and his sister Yamuna (the famous river) on Dwitheya (the second day after new moon).
- Other names include Bhai Dooj, Bhathru Dwithiya, Bhai Tika and Bhatri Ditya.
According to another popular legend in Hindu mythology, after slaying the evil demon Narkasur, Lord Krishna visited his sister Subhadra who gave him a warm welcome with sweets and flowers. She also affectionately applied tilak on Krishna's forehead. Some believe this to be the origin of the festival.
Read more about this topic: Bhau-beej
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