There are two festivals in the Indian calendar which celebrate the beautiful bond between brother and sister. The first is Raksha Bandhan and the second, bhai bij. While Raksha Bandhan is an affirmation of a brother's protection of his sister, Bhai Dooj is an affirmation of a sister's protection of her brother's well being, and is primarily celebrated in the northern states of India.

Bhai, of course, means brother, while 'Dooj' means 'second'. The festival is so named because Bhai Dooj falls on the second day after Diwali, or the second day of the new moon. This year, bhai bij falls in October-November and the anticipation amongst sisters is palpable. After all, it is a time when every whim of the sister is attended to and she is lavished with gifts and sweets!

The fifth and last day of Diwali is known as 'Bhai dooj' or 'Bhai Bij'. The name itself denotes the day of the festival i.e it falls on Dooj, the second day after the new moon. This day Yamaraj went to his sister's house who put an auspicious mark on his forehead for his welfare.

Another version is after killing Narakasur, Lord Krishna, on his "Dooj Day' went to his sister Subhadra who welcomed him in the traditional way by showing him a light and putting on his forehead a tilak of her sisterly protection.

Another myth behind this begins as when Bhagawaan Mahavir found nirvana, his brother Raja Nandivardhan was distressed because he missed him and was comforted by his sister Sudarshana. Since then, women have been revered during this festival.

This day all sisters show their sisterly love for their brother by giving them a traditional and a loving welcome by applying a tilak on the forehead of their brothers for their safety and well being. They are then given gifts from their brothers and held in the highest respect.