Yama Dwitiya

Shukla Paksha Dwitiya of Karthik month is celebrated as Yama Dwitiya. This festival is one of the important celebrations post Diwali. This is a significant festival in South India and some parts of North India that celebrates sibling love between sisters and their brothers.

Yama Dwitiya 2023

Significance

According to the legend, River Goddess Yamuna is the sister of Lord Yamaraj, the God of Death. On this day, Lord Yama visited his sister Yamuna after Diwali. Yami welcomed her brother with fragrant garlands and applied auspicious tilak on his forehead. She greeted him and prepped a meal with his favorite dishes. Lord Yamaraj was pleased with her love and hospitality and requested Yamuna to choose a boon. Yamuna asked a boon that the brothers who visit their sister's home and bless their sister will never go to Naraka/hell. Lord Yama agreed to fulfill the boon also promised that sister who invites her brother and serves food to him on this special day, will live a saubhagyavathi. In honor of Lord Yama, this day has been celebrated as Yama Dwitiya. Since the main ritual of this day involved worshiping brothers by sisters. It is also referred as 'Bhratri Dwitiya.'

Rituals

On this day, brothers usually visit sisters’ home. Sisters greet their brother by aarti and applying tilak on their forehead. Then perform a simple puja and exchange gifts in the muhurtha time of the day. Then, a grand meal is served to the brother. the sister gets blessings from the brother and the brother blesses her to be a saubhagyavathi all her life. Some people also worship Planet Moon and King Bali in the evening on his return to Patala Loka.

Benefits

Yama Dwitiya festival dates between 2020 & 2030

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