New Delhi [India] : The act of gifting is a special one. Even a little thoughtful token goes a long way to express that you love and care. On the occasion of Bhai Dooj 2021, here’s a list of thoughtful gifts to express your love and care for your brother or sister.
1. Gift cards and vouchers
Since gift cards and vouchers allow the other person to actually choose the gift they’d want, this present is perfect for a choosy sibling, whose likes and dislikes are not clearly known. Gift vouchers of brands are sure to impress and the amount of the voucher can be adjusted according to budget.
2. Cook something for them
This one is perfect for those who are low on budget and have some time in their hands. Cooking your sibling’s favourite meal would be a beautiful sentimental gesture. Though it might be tricky to hide this gift in advance. Still, this gesture is sure to impress, especially if you hardly cook in general.
3. Prank gifts
A perfect gift for a sibling is to start off with some prank gift, but make sure to follow it with some good present. Fun, prank gifts could be empty boxes wrapped up with lots of gift papers or prank boxes that blow up with a loud boom sound or smoke when you open them. The options are endless when it comes to teasing your sibling.
4. Write a letter
Writing a letter is and perhaps will always be one of the sweetest gestures ever. Plus, it won’t cost a penny, working best for those tight on budget. However, for this gift, little writing skills and time are required. Plus, this gesture might not work for siblings who find heartfelt letters ‘too cheesy’ or awkward. But if they appreciate these kinds of gifts, then a great letter can make them laugh and cry and brim their hearts with love. The letter can comprise of all the great, little things to thank your sibling for, things that are often left unacknowledged in day-to-day life. The letter can be handwritten on paper, or in the form of a card, or a surprise e-mail or WhatsApp message.
5. Personalised basket of favourite things
This might require some budget, though the kind of things that make this basket and the size of the basket can always be adjusted according to spending capacity. If it’s food, then fill it up with your sibling’s favourite things to eat or maybe bulk up on their one most favourite chips or chocolate or anything else they love to binge. Basket items can comprise gadgets, toiletries, stationery, makeup, jewellery or anything else that your sibling is fond of. Make sure to keep the items personalised, so that the gift remains thoughtful.
6. That thing on their wishlist
People often have fancy items lying around in their online shopping carts or wishlists which they would love to buy, but usually do not have the budget to splurge. For those willing to spend some money, surprise your sibling with that thing waiting in their shopping cart, that they have probably been blabbering about for the past two weeks. With these fun, quirky and budget-friendly gift ideas, have a happy and memorable Bhai Dooj with your sibling.
What differentiates the festival of Bhai Dooj from Raksha Bandhan
New Delhi [India] : As the festivities for Diwali concluded with much pomp and glory, millions of Hindus across India will soon be celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters on Bhai Dooj, which will fall on November 6, just two days after Diwali. As mentioned, Bhai Dooj is celebrated annually to mark the bond between brothers and sisters. Sounds familiar, right? That’s because while there are festivals of different importance all over the world but those that celebrate the sacred and auspicious bond of brothers and sisters are few like, Bhai Dooj and Raksha Bandhan. What many might find puzzling is that when there already is Raksha Bandhan, then what makes Bhai Dooj so significant when it comes to celebrating sibling love? And also, what’s the difference between Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj? For starters, both occasions have different origins in holy texts. The origins of Rakshabandhan can be found during the events of the Mahabharata. Legend dictates that when Lord Krishna accidentally nicked his finger on his ‘sudarshan chakra’, Princess Draupadi tore a piece of her saree and tied it to his finger to stop the bleeding. Lord Krishna was so touched by this gesture that he vowed to always protect and cherish her. Whereas, Bhai Dooj has two origin stories. The first legend narrates that after slaying the evil demon Narakasura, Lord Krishna visited his sister Subhadra who gave him a warm welcome with sweets and flowers. She also affectionately applied tilak on Krishna’s forehead. The other story is that Yamraj, God of Death, had gone to visit his twin sister, Yamuna. In return, she welcomed him with a tilak ceremony, garlanded him and fed him special dishes. They dined together after a long time and exchanged gifts. Hence on Bhai Dooj, the aarti and tika play a huge part, whereas, on Raksha Bandhan, a sacred thread is tied on the brother’s hand. The tying of Rakhi symbolizes the promise of a brother to protect and safeguard his sister from all evil forces. While on Bhai Dooj, with the tika put on the brother’s forehead, the sister vows to protect her brother from any evil at all costs. Though the application of tilak is a common ritual in both Bhai Dooj and Rakhi celebrations, it holds a special significance during the festival of Bhai Dooj. Further, while Raksha Bandhan is not limited to celebrating only between brothers and sisters. It can be performed between sisters, only brothers, and friends as well. On the other hand, Bhai Dooj is especially for the brother-sister duo. Another key difference among the festivals is that, as per the Hindu calendar, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon of the Savan month of the Hindu year. The month of Savan is considered an auspicious period among the Hindus and Lord Shiva is worshipped every Monday during this entire time. Bhai Dooj, which is also known as Sodara Bidige in Karnataka, Bhai Phota in Bengal, Bhai-Beej in Gujarat and Bhau Beej in Maharashtra, is observed on the second lunar day of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of the Kartika month of Vikram Samvat Hindu calendar. The occasion marks the last day of the five-day-long celebrations of Diwali or the Tihar festival. With all these stories, rituals, facts, and legends associated with Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj, you should be able to distinguish between the two festivals. With only a day left for Bhai Dooj, choose the best and truly special present for your siblings or cousins and surprise them with memories to cherish for a lifetime.
