"Diving into the Divine Celebrations: Welcoming Bhai Dooj 2023 in Grandeur!"

The vibrant festival of Bhai Dooj marks the conclusion of the five day long Diwali celebration. According to the Hindu calendar, this auspicious festival is celebrated on the second lunar day of Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Kartika. The festival will fall on the 27th of October in 2023, just two days after the grand celebration of Diwali.

Bhai Dooj is a festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, similar to Raksha Bandhan. The festival is known by different names in different parts of India, such as 'Bhai Tika' in Nepal, 'Bhai Phota' in Bengal, and 'Yama Dwitiya' in the southern parts of India. The celebration and rituals of Bhai Dooj are quite fascinating and are deeply rooted in Hindu mythology.

According to Hindu mythology, on this day, Lord Krishna visited his sister Subhadra after killing the demon Narakasura. Subhadra welcomed him with sweets and flowers, and also applied a protective tilak on Krishna's forehead. Since then, the ritual of sisters applying tilak on their brothers' forehead became a significant part of Bhai Dooj.

The festival begins with sisters applying a tilak or a 'teeka' on their brother's forehead, praying for their long life and prosperity. Brothers in return give gifts to their sisters as a token of love and promise to protect them. In absence of a brother, a male cousin is considered equally respectable. Furthermore, a grand feast of delicious food and sweets is shared among the family members.

Despite the variations in traditions and rituals across different regions, the essence of Bhai Dooj remains the same - to reinforce the love and affection between brothers and sisters. As we approach Bhai Dooj in 2023, let's celebrate this beautiful festival with fervor and joy, cherishing the bond that it represents and the love that it strengthens.