Sibling relations across India and the world are the same. The same WWE-style fighting over the last laddu, screaming over who gets to burst the most fireworks, and how horrible the Bhai Dooj gifts are. But every Bhai Dooj celebration across the states is equally unique. As special as the inside jokes, fears, and shared stories of every close-knit sibling pair. Whether it’s tika, thalis, or just an excuse to guilt-trip each other into overeating, the festival feels like a cozy after-party spread across the entire country, so book those cheap flight tickets now to experience its different faces of joy.
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Uttar Pradesh: Bhrati Dwitiya
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Walk through the lanes of Varanasi or Lucknow during Bhai Dooj celebration, and the air smells like ghee, marigolds, and hot jalebis sizzling in pans that look way too old to hold oil still. Sisters here prepare ornate thalis, made of kumkum, rice, sweets, and betel nuts, as if they’re painting a canvas. Local aunties will insist you take second servings, which is a blessing and a curse, so secure cheap flights to Lucknow to make Uttar Pradesh your best brother sister getaway destination.
Brothers, of course, are expected to sit patiently while their foreheads get decorated with tika and rice grains stuck so firmly that they survive the next two baths. Secure all-inclusive Uttar Pradesh tour packages to experience a new way of celebrating! Bihar also celebrates in the same manner
AT Fact: Sisters curse their brother till they marry every Bhai Dooj. This curse drives away evil and ills surrounding the brother, if any. The ceremony is known as Bhrati Dwitiya.
Budget: Starting at INR 13,000
Top attractions in Uttar Pradesh: Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and the sacred cities of Varanasi and Ayodhya.
Discover: Bhai Dooj 2025: 7 Adventures Just for You & Your Siblings.
West Bengal: Bhai Ponta
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Head east and the Bhai Dooj celebration India style takes on a sweet, syrupy twist. Here, it’s called “Bhai Phonta,” and sisters actually fast until the tika ceremony is done. Imagine the patience of sitting there hungry while your brother jokes around. Then comes the sugar crash: plates loaded with mishti doi, rosogollas, sandesh. It’s like a sugar festival disguised as sibling love.
AT Tip: Don’t even try bargaining with sweet shop owners during this time. Prices soar, and honestly, no one’s in the mood to argue when they’re knee-deep in syrup. Reserve rooms at the best hotels in West Bengal for the sweetest vacation.
Budget: Starting at INR 10,000
Top attractions in West Bengal: Mangrove forests in the Sunderbans, Shantiniketan, and tea plantations in Darjeeling.
Maharashtra: Bhau Beej
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Bhau Beej is a kind of Bhai Dooj celebration that begins with the sour, as the brother is forced to eat the Karith fruit at the beginning of the ritual. The tika is more straightforward here, no over-the-top thalis, just warmth, laughter, and usually some Bollywood music in the background. Some of the dishes that make it worth securing the lowest airfares to Mumbai are basundi (sweetened thick milk), kheerni puri, shrikhand puri, puran poli stuffed with jaggery and dal, and fried goodies, because vada pavs are a must.
If you secure thrilling Gujarat tour packages, you’ll observe that girls who have no brothers apply mehendi and pray to the Moon Goddess. You can find a similar celebration in Goa, just like in Maharashtra.
AT Tip: And since getting to the best hotels in Mumbai requires you to wave to rickshaws for hours, secure cab services in India that actually show up when you book them.
Budget: Starting at INR 11,000
Top attractions in Maharashtra: Siddhivinayak Temple, Ajanta Caves, and the Gateway of India.
Nepal: Bhai Tika
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Technically outside India but too close to ignore, Nepal celebrates Bhai Dooj as “Bhai Tika.” Sisters apply a seven-coloured tika on their brothers’ foreheads. Seven! Like a rainbow on skin. Secure exciting Nepal tour packages, and forget all about the visas, as the destination is not only visa-free but also waiting to welcome Indians.
The ritual is centuries old, rooted in Hindu traditions going back to the 11th century when kings sponsored massive tika feasts. Even now, the tika is paired with garlands of marigolds and sel roti, which is a ring-shaped rice flour bread that tastes sweet and oddly comforting.
Budget: Starting at INR 25,000
Top attractions in Nepal: Pashpatinath Temple, Kathmandu Durbar Square, and Chitwan National Park.
What’s so Different in Bhai Dooj and Raksha Bandhan?
So, what’s the Bhai Dooj and Raksha Bandhan difference? Easy: Raksha Bandhan has sisters tying a rakhi thread, while Bhai Dooj is more tika-centric. Rakhi’s in August, Bhai Dooj follows Diwali in October or November, right after Diwali, so siblings get pampered twice a year.
And for planners already scribbling travel notes, the Bhai Dooj 2025 date lands on 23rd October 2025.
Some of the places to visit with siblings in India during this festival that you should consider as Bhai Dooj celebration ideas, bringing the best climate and memories, are:
- Lucknow for the grand thalis.
- Kolkata for sugar highs.
- Jaipur for a royal vibe.
- Goa for a cheeky beachside sibling vacation after rituals.
Explore: Diwali in India 2025: Spots so Magical, Your Family Will Beg to Return Every Year.
We bet you’ve already found the best places to visit with siblings with the help of this list, so where will your first stop be? Want to gift them a bigger surprise? Apply for online visa services for 180+ countries to take their breath away!
Summing Up:
Bhai Dooj is that sweet encore after Diwali, less fireworks, more sibling chaos. From Uttar Pradesh’s lavish thalis to Bengal’s sugar-drenched Bhai Phonta and Maharashtra’s basundi feasts, every state has its own flavor of the Bhai Dooj celebration. It’s tika, sweets, jokes, and the occasional overstuffed stomach. Travel across India and you’ll see the same thing: quirky rituals, messy laughter, and that unmistakable comfort of family wrapped in food and love.
FAQs: Bhai Dooj Celebration
What is Bhai Dooj and why is it celebrated?
Bhai Dooj, falling after Diwali, celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. It’s similar to Raksha Bandhan, only the tika replaces the rakhi. Sisters pray for their brother’s good health and longevity, while brothers offer gifts in return.
How to celebrate Bhai Dooj at home?
You can celebrate Bhai Dooj in different ways, depending on your state of residence in India. Some ways the states celebrate uniquely are:
- Uttar Pradesh: Sisters curse their unmarried brothers to ward off evil and ills from their lives.
- West Bengal: Bhai Ponta celebrations, which involve a long fast kept by sisters.
- Maharashtra: The feeding of a sour Karith fruit.
Following these are the tika-applying, aarti, and sweet feeding. Gifts are also exchanged during the festival.
Who gives a gift on Bhai Dooj?
Both siblings, brothers and sisters, exchange gifts on Bhai Dooj.
What do we call Bhai Dooj in West Bengal?
Bhai Dooj is called Bhai Ponta in West Bengal.
What is the name of Bhai Dooj in Maharashtra?
Bhai Dooj is called Bhau Beej or Bhav Bij in Maharashtra.
What are the rituals of Bhai Dooj in Gujarat?
Sisters begin by applying a tilak of Kumkum and rice on the brother’s forehead, performing an aarti, and feeding them a sweet. The family then gathers and exchanges gifts.
Get into the festive mood, read:
- Diwali Vacation 2025: These International Destinations Might Outshine India.
- How Guru Nanak Jayanti is Celebrated in the Golden Temple.
- Forget Halloween, Visit the Underrated & Best Pumpkin Festivals
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