Tripura chief minister joins party workers for Bhai Dooj celebration

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha participated in Bhai Dooj festivities with women BJP party workers at his residence on Sunday, marking his second year of celebrating the festival with party members.

Speaking to reporters, Saha mentioned that although he has always celebrated Bhai Dooj at home, celebrating it with party members since joining the BJP has brought a new dimension to the experience.

The festival, which honours the bond between brothers and sisters, is celebrated under different names across India. Known as Bhai Phonta in Bengal and Bhai Tika in Maharashtra, the southern states of Karnataka and Telangana observe it as Yama Dwitiya.

The festival's origin stems from Hindu mythology, where Goddess Yamuna hosted her brother Yamraj for a meal on Kartik Dwitiya. Sisters mark their brothers' foreheads with tilak and perform rituals including fasting and prayers for their brothers' wellbeing. Brothers reciprocate with gifts and vows of protection.

Unlike Raksha Bandhan, where sisters tie a protective thread on their brothers' wrists, Bhai Dooj focuses on the tilak ceremony and other customs. The celebration, documented in ancient Hindu texts, highlights stories involving deities Krishna and Yamraj, emphasizing the eternal bond between siblings.