According to the scriptures, it is also called Yama Dwitiya. On this day, sisters apply Tilak to their brothers and bless them with a long life and on this day, Yamraj, the god of death, is worshipped. On this day in Brajmandal, sisters stand in the Yamuna river and apply Tilak to their brothers.
The festival of Bhai Dooj is celebrated on the afternoon of Vyapini Kartik Shukla Dwitiya.
Bhai Dooj is also called Bhratri Dwitiya. The main objective of this festival is to establish the sacred relationship and love between brother and sister. On this day sisters also perform Beri Puja. On this day, sisters apply tilak to their brothers, wishing them good health and long life. On this day, sisters apply oil to their brothers and bathe them in Ganga Yamuna. If one cannot bathe in Ganga Yamuna then brother should bathe at sister's house.
If a sister feeds her brother with her own hands, then the brother's age increases and the troubles of life go away. On this day, sisters feed rice to their brothers. Eating at sister's house on this day has special significance. Sister can be a cousin or cousin. If there is no sister, then it is considered auspicious to meditate on feminine objects like cow, river etc. or to eat while sitting near them.
In this puja, sisters also apply rice solution on brother's palm, apply vermillion on it, place pumpkin flowers, betel leaves, betel nut currency etc. on their hands and slowly drop water on their hands and chant the following mantra.
"गंगा पूजे यमुना को यमी पूजे यमराज को, सुभद्रा पूजा कृष्ण को, गंगा यमुना नीर बहे मेरे भाई की आयु बढ़े"
Similarly the palm is worshiped with this mantra.
"सांप काटे, बाघ काटे, बिच्छू काटे जो काटे सो आज काटे"
Such words are said because it is believed that even if a fierce animal bites on this day, the messengers of Yamraj will not take away the brother's life. Somewhere on this day, sisters apply Tilak on the head of their brother and perform Aarti and then tie Kalava in their palm. To sweeten her brother's mouth, Misri feeds him butter. In the evening, sisters light a four-sided lamp in the name of Yamraj and keep it outside the house. At this time, if an eagle is seen flying in the sky above, it is considered very auspicious. The belief in this context is that Yamraj has accepted the prayers that the sisters are praying for their brother's life or the eagle will go and convey the sisters' message to Yamraj.
Story of Bhaiya Dooj:
Lord Surya Narayan's wife's name was Chhaya. Yamraj and Yamuna were born from her womb. Yamuna loved Yamraj very much. She would always request him to come and have dinner at her house along with his close friends. Yamraj, busy in his work, kept avoiding the matter. Kartik Shukla's day came. That day Yamuna again invited Yamraj for food and made him promise to come to her house.
Yamraj thought that I am about to take my life. No one wants to invite me to their home. It is my duty to follow the goodwill with which my sister is calling me. While coming to his sister's house, Yamraj freed the creatures living in hell. Yamuna's happiness knew no bounds after seeing Yamraj coming to her house. He took bath, worshiped and served food. Yamraj was pleased with the hospitality shown by Yamuna and ordered his sister to ask for a groom.
Yamuna said, Bhadra! You come to my house every year on this day. Like me, the sister who treats her brother with respect on this day should not fear you. Yamraj said Amen and gave priceless clothes and ornaments to Yamuna and sent her to Yamlok. The tradition of the festival started from this day. It is believed that those who accept hospitality have no fear of Yama. That is why Yamraj and Yamuna are worshiped on Bhaiya Dooj.
