Bhai Dooj 2025: How to Celebrate if You Don’t Have a Brother

Bhai Dooj 2025 , celebrated on October 23, marks the culmination of the Diwali festivities, honouring the beautiful bond between siblings. Traditionally, sisters perform aarti, apply tilak on their brothers, and pray for their well-being, while brothers reciprocate with gifts and promises of protection. But what if you don’t have a brother? The essence of Bhai Dooj lies in love, care, and gratitude, which can be celebrated in many heartfelt ways beyond tradition.

Celebrate Sisterhood with Behen Dooj

If you don’t have a brother, turn Bhai Dooj into Behen Dooj, a day to honour the bond between sisters. Sisters can perform tilak and aarti for each other, exchange gifts, prepare a special meal, or simply spend quality time together. This modern twist keeps the spirit of Bhai Dooj alive, focusing on love and mutual support.

Honour Cousins and Friends Who Feel Like Family

Family isn’t just about blood relations. Cousins, close friends, or colleagues who have stood by you can also be your Bhai Dooj companions. Tie the symbolic tilak or thread to express gratitude and care. In many Indian regions, women celebrate with cousins or family friends as symbolic brothers, reinforcing that the festival is about heartfelt connection rather than biology.

Worship Divine Brothers

In certain states like Haryana and Maharashtra, sisters worship Chandra Dev (the Moon) as their brother, performing aarti and offering tilak to seek blessings. Others may honour Lord Krishna or Lord Yama, symbolising protection, devotion, and service. This allows women without brothers to maintain the cultural and spiritual essence of Bhai Dooj while expressing love and gratitude.

Perform Puja for Lord Chitragupta or Surya Dev

For those inclined towards spirituality, performing a small puja for Lord Chitragupta or offering arghya to Surya Dev at sunrise can keep the festival sacred. In states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, worshipping Lord Chitragupta is a traditional way for women without brothers to pray for family welfare, wisdom, and happiness.

Celebrate Virtually with Distant Brothers

If your brother lives far away, celebrate Bhai Dooj virtually. Set up a puja thali, light a diya, and offer a tilak via video call or on a photograph. Sending digital gifts, handwritten letters, or video messages ensures that distance doesn’t dilute the emotional connection, keeping the festival alive in modern ways.

Bhai Dooj is ultimately about love, protection, and gratitude, transcending gender and bloodlines. Whether you celebrate with sisters, friends, cousins, or divine figures, what matters most is the intention behind the rituals. This Bhai Dooj 2025, embrace the spirit of the festival and honour those who make your life brighter, even if you don’t have a brother.