What is it? Bhai Dooj is a celebration of love between sister and brother and is celebrated across North India, Nepal, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa and Gujarat. Much like Raksha Bandhan, Bhai Dooj involves a sister’s prayers for her brother’s safety and happiness. The day is also called Yamadwitheya.
The story The legend behind the celebration of Bhai Dooj is that of the Hindu god of death, Yama. Yama goes to meet his twin sister, Yamuna, the river, after a long time and in welcome she prepares a sumptuous feast for him. She also applies a ‘tilak’ on his forehead with prayers for his safety.
Upon his return, Yama asks his sister to tell him what gift or boon she would like. Yamuna requests him to make the day of their meeting auspicious for all time to come so prayers of sisters on this day would keep brothers safe and blessed. The legendary meeting happened two days after new moon in the Hindu lunar month ‘Kartik’ and thus, is also the last day of Diwali celebrations.
Top five brother-sister movies
We have put together five movies that capture the relationship between brother and sister through beautiful stories and powerful performances.
1. My sister’s keeper - 2009
As the story unfolds, the lengths to which a family will go to protect each other is shown through a great cast and a moving script. This one could have you reaching for the tissue box way too many times. Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Sofia Vassilieva, Alec Baldwin, Jason Patric and Joan Cusack play major roles.
2. The Savages - 2007
A sister and brother are forced to join forces to look after their ailing father. With the right amount of humour, Philip Hoffman Seymour and Laura Linney put up an amazing performance which focuses on family relationships.
3. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag - 2013
Though the brother-sister relationship is relatively a small part of the movie, it is integral to the person Milkha became as he grew up. Farhan Akhtar plays ‘Milkha’ and Divya Dutt plays his elder sister ‘Isri’.
4. My brother...Nikhil - 2005
In a society bound by stigma, Nikhil is alone given the fact that he is diagnosed HIV+ and succumbs to AIDS. His sole strength and saviour is his elder sister who fights for his happiness and his life. Juhi Chawla and Sanjay Suri play the brother-sister duo.
5. Children of Heaven - 1997
As the first Iranian film to be nominated for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film in 1998, this movie promises to be a great watch. It also captures in a pure and simple way the love between siblings Ali and Zahra played by Mir Farrokh Hashemian and Bahare Seddiqi.
