Common North Indian household practice · Wednesday, 11 November 2026
Bhai Dooj Tilak
How to read the Roman letters
ā, ī, ū are long vowels (as in father, machine, rule). ṛ sounds like ri. ś and ṣ are both close to sh. c is ch as in church; ch is the aspirated chh. ṃ is a nasal m; ḥ is a soft echo of the vowel before it. ṭ, ḍ, ṇ are said with the tongue curled back.
Prepare the tilak plate
Arrange roli, rice, a lamp and sweets on a plate. Set a seat for your brother, on a rice-flour square if your family draws one.
Many families remember Yama and Yamuna before beginning.
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Apply the tilak
The sister applies a tilak of roli and rice on her brother’s forehead and says the tilak verse, as many families do.
The verse is a folk blessing for the brother’s long life; families who do not use it simply say a blessing in their own words.
Tilak verse for Bhai Dooj
गंगा पूजे यमुना को, यमी पूजे यमराज को।
सुभद्रा पूजे कृष्ण को, गंगा यमुना नीर बहे, मेरे भाई की आयु बढ़े॥
Ganga pooje Yamuna ko, Yami pooje Yamraj ko.
Subhadra pooje Krishna ko, Ganga Yamuna neer bahe, mere bhai ki aayu badhe.
As Ganga honours Yamuna, as Yami honours Yamaraj, as Subhadra honours Krishna: as long as the waters of the Ganga and Yamuna flow, may my brother live long.
जैसे गंगा यमुना को पूजती हैं, यमी यमराज को और सुभद्रा कृष्ण को पूजती हैं — जब तक गंगा-यमुना का जल बहता रहे, मेरे भाई की आयु बढ़े।
Yami is another name of Yamuna, Yama’s sister. GaneshaSpeaks ends with भाई आप बढ़ें फूले फलें (“brother, may you grow and flourish”).
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Aarti and sweets
Wave the lamp before your brother in a gentle aarti and offer him sweets.
Keep the flame away from hair and clothing.
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Gift and promise
The brother gives a gift and promises his care and support; both seek the elders’ blessings.
What matters is the promise of care in both directions.
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Eat together
Following the story of Yama eating at Yamuna’s home, the brother shares a meal at his sister’s home.
If you live far apart, share a meal on a video call; the time together is the point.
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May brothers and sisters always make time for each other.
If something here differs from your family's practice, follow your family.