My Maharashtra

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Diwali Bhau Bheej Tika Ceremony Procedure

The fifth day of the Diwali Festival is celebrated as Bhau Bheej (the word Bhau means brother and Biji means sister). It is also referred to as Bhai Dooj, the word dhooj referring to the second day after the new moon in the Hindu month of Kartika. In Maharashtra, Bhau Bheej is considered a major auspicious day and hence those who do not have brothers worship Darpanagayesha, the moon God. This festival is known as Bhai Bij in Gujarat, Bhai Phota in Bengal, and Bhai-Tika in Nepal.

Rangoli design of Bhau Bheej (18x17 dots)
[Design by Hemchandra Shankar Raje, Navrangavali rangoli design book]

Like most festive days, Diwali Bhau Bheej too has a mythological legend behind it.

Legend of Bhau Bheej: The most common Hindu mythological legend of Bhau Bheej centers around the story of Yama Raj and Yami. Yama Raj is the God of Death, and Yami his sister. It is said that Yama Raj visited his sister after many years and Yami was so happy that she put a tika (also called tilak) on his forehead as a gesture of safety and well-being for her brother. She also prepared a special meal for her brother which they shared together. Yama Raj was pleased with her devotion and welcoming gestures, so decreed that from then on, ever year, on the fourth day of the new moon when a sister put a tilak on her brother’s forehead, he would never come to any harm. Thus was born the Diwali Bhau Bheej day.

Yet another legend relates the story of Subhadra welcoming her brother Lord Krishna with flowers and sweets, when Lord Krishna returned home after the slaying of the demon Narkasura (know the legend of Narakasura). Like Yami, Subhadra is said to have put a tilak on Lord Krishna’ forehead.

The purpose of Diwali Bhau Bheej is to ensure a brother’s safety and well-being, and the gesture of gifting the sister a gift is to show the brother’s affectionate love for his sister. Just as Yami and Subhadra prepared a meal for their respective brothers, so also today a special meal of the brother’s favourite food is made. In Maharashtra, on the day of Diwali Bhau Bheej a sweet known as Shrikhand Poori is made.

Know how to make Shrikhand Poori

How to perform Diwali Bhau Bheej Aarti Tika Ceremony at Home

Step 1: Prepare a thali containing a diya, some rice grains, a few ladoos or mithai, and a little red vermillion powder mixed with haldi (turmeric).

Step 2 : Light the diya in the thali.

Step 3: Put a tika of the red-and-turmeric powder on the brother’s forehead (in an upwards motion as a straight line between the eyebrows just where the nose line begins).

Step 4: Throw a few rice grains on the top of the brother’s head if he is younger to you and at his feet if he is an older brother.

Step 5: Do aarti with the thali (make sure the diya is lit).

Step 6: Put a piece of the ladoo or mithai in your brother’s mouth.

Step 7: Your brother will likely give you some cash or a gift. If your brother is older than you, touch his feet and take his blessings. If the brother is younger than you, you have to place your hand (palm down) on his head and give him your blessings.

Bhau Bheej Gifts are a traditional part of Diwali Bhau Bheej, with brothers giving cash or gifts to their sisters.

Diwali Padwa Govardhan Puja Traditions Legends Rituals

The fourth day of the Diwali Festival is celebrated as the New Year, known as Kartik Shuddh Padwa, or simply as Padwa.

Most Amazing Diwali Dry Fruits Boxes as Gifts

During the Diwali Festival, people often gift friends, relatives and colleagues boxes of dry fruits. Some Diwali dry fruit gift boxes contain bowls in floral or leaf patterns and these contain the dry fruits, where others are simply place in square sections of the box. Each Diwali dry fruit gift box is then covered with transparent cellophane paper and the entire box is wrapped in shiny gift paper. The dry fruits in a Diwali Dry Fruit Gift Box includes cashewnuts, figs, pistachios, dried black grapes, almonds, raisins, etc.

How to do a Simple Diwali Rangoli Pattern with Grains

Don't fret if you don't have rangoli colours! You can use grains to make a unique Diwali Ragnoli.
You can use moong dal, urad dal, methi seeds, coriander seeds, kasuri methi leaves, green gram dal, moong seeds, turmeric powder, sugar, red beans, etc. If you don't have white rangoli powder, use chalk. Simple!

Diwali Abhyanga Snan Materials and Procedure

The word Abhyanga has Sanskrit roots: ang means motion and abhi means different or contrary. The word snan means bath. Hence, the meaning of Abhyanga Snan is a bath-cum-massage of the body with herbs-and-flower-based paste. Abhyanga Snan is a ritual bath that is done during the Diwali Festival, specifically on the day of Narak Chaturdasi.

Rangoli Patterns Stickers

In today's modern rush-hour world of deadlines and hectic schedules, some people prefer to buy readymade rangoli design stickers. Simply peel off the backing and stick on the floor!

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All What You Need to Make a Rangoli Pattern Design

1. Buy a few Rangoli Design Books first. Choose those which have smaller designs requiring less than 15 dots before venturing into making larger designs.

Rangoli Designs Books

2. Gheru: This is basically dark brown or red clay, which you get in the form of a stone (see picture below). Put a little water in a bowl and dip the gheru in it to wet it. Then apply it on the surface where you will be making your rangoli design. When applying, make sure you spread it in one even direction (horizontally or vertically) so that it does not become an uneven patch.


Gheru

3. Rangoli Colours: Make sure that you have all the colours you need before starting the design! If you want sky blue colour, adding white rangoli powder to a dark blue rangoli colour will not get you the exact shade of sky blue. It will more likely be just another shade of dark blue. So buy light blue colour too. In a traditional Indian market, rangoli powders are sold loose, by the spoonful (Rs.2/- per spoon) so you can buy 3 spoons or more of each colour. You can also buy packets of Rangoli powders (this year the price is Rs.5/- per packet).

Loose rangoli colours

Rangoli colours in packets

4. White Rangoli Powder: This is an absolute must! All colours must be mixed with white rangoli powder before use as the coloured powders are rough and create thickness when put directly, thereby making the design ugly. The white rangoli is sold by the glassful, with one packet costing Rs.5/-

White rangoli powder

5. Ruler of paper with punched holes: If you are unable to make a straight line of dots, use a ruler to align them properly. Better still, puch holes in a large sheet of paper at even intervals and use that, putting white rangoli powder through each hole on to the required surface (see image below).

6. Rangoli Accessories: You can use readymade rangoli chhaaps (see images below) to make smaller designs around your main rangoli design. New in the market are also rangoli rollers, in which you put the rangoli powder and create powders. The plastic rollers look very much like the water pitchkaris used during the Holi Festival!