Bhai Dooj 2026
Bhai Dooj, Yama-dvitīyā, in 2026: the day and the afternoon for Yama’s worship, for your city, two days after Diwali.
Bhai Dooj in Delhi
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Delhi the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Bhai Dooj in Mumbai
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Mumbai the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in Kolkata
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Kolkata the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in Chennai
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Chennai the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in Bengaluru
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Bengaluru the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in Hyderabad
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Hyderabad the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in Ahmedabad
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Ahmedabad the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in Pune
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Pune the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in Jaipur
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Jaipur the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in Lucknow
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Lucknow the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in London
Tuesday, 10 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In London the Dvitīyā covers Tuesday’s afternoon but not Wednesday’s, so Tuesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in New York City
Tuesday, 10 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In New York City the Dvitīyā covers Tuesday’s afternoon but not Monday’s, so Tuesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in Toronto
Tuesday, 10 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Toronto the Dvitīyā covers Tuesday’s afternoon but not Monday’s, so Tuesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in Sydney
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Sydney the Dvitīyā covers Wednesday’s afternoon but not Tuesday’s, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in Dubai
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Dubai the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
Kartika, Shukla DvitiyaBhai Dooj in Singapore
Wednesday, 11 November
Bhai Dooj is in 24 days. In Singapore the Dvitīyā covers Wednesday’s afternoon but not Tuesday’s, so Wednesday.
The afternoon is the time the Dharmasindhu gives for Yama’s worship. Dharmasindhu p. 79
How the day is chosen
Bhai Dooj is the Dvitīyā of the bright fortnight of Kārtika. If the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon of the earlier day only, Bhai Dooj is that day; if it covers both afternoons, or neither, it is the later day. Dharmasindhu p. 79
In Delhi the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 14:00 to Wed 15:53 and covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 13:09 to 15:19.
In Mumbai the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 14:00 to Wed 15:53 and covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 13:29 to 15:45.
In Kolkata the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 14:00 to Wed 15:53 and covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 12:27 to 14:40.
In Chennai the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 14:00 to Wed 15:53 and covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 13:02 to 15:20.
In Bengaluru the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 14:00 to Wed 15:53 and covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 13:12 to 15:31.
In Hyderabad the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 14:00 to Wed 15:53 and covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 13:08 to 15:24.
In Ahmedabad the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 14:00 to Wed 15:53 and covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 13:29 to 15:42.
In Pune the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 14:00 to Wed 15:53 and covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 13:26 to 15:41.
In Jaipur the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 14:00 to Wed 15:53 and covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 13:15 to 15:26.
In Lucknow the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 14:00 to Wed 15:53 and covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 12:55 to 15:05.
In London the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 08:30 to Wed 10:23 and covers Tuesday’s afternoon but not Wednesday’s, so Bhai Dooj is Tuesday, with the afternoon from 12:38 to 14:27.
In New York City the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 03:30 to Wed 05:23 and covers Tuesday’s afternoon but not Monday’s, so Bhai Dooj is Tuesday, with the afternoon from 12:40 to 14:40.
In Toronto the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 03:30 to Wed 05:23 and covers Tuesday’s afternoon but not Monday’s, so Bhai Dooj is Tuesday, with the afternoon from 13:00 to 14:58.
In Sydney the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 19:30 to Wed 21:23 and covers Wednesday’s afternoon but not Tuesday’s, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 14:01 to 16:46.
In Dubai the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 12:30 to Wed 14:23 and covers the afternoon on both Tuesday and Wednesday, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 13:08 until the Dvitīyā ends at 14:23.
In Singapore the Dvitīyā runs from Tue 16:30 to Wed 18:23 and covers Wednesday’s afternoon but not Tuesday’s, so Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, with the afternoon from 14:00 to 16:25.
The texts call the day Yama-dvitīyā: Yamunā fed Yama, her brother, at her home on this day. Dharmasindhu p. 79; Nirṇaya-sindhu p. 305
A man eats that day from his sister’s hand, away from his own home, which brings wealth, grain and happiness, and honours all his sisters with clothes and ornaments; one with no sister honours a friend’s. His sister worships him, which spares her widowhood and gives him long life. A bath in the Yamunā is part of the day, and in the afternoon Yama is worshipped with Citragupta and his messengers, and arghya is given to Yama. Dharmasindhu p. 79; Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 304–306
The Nirṇaya-sindhu reports two other views without choosing between them: the Dvitīyā joined to the Pratipadā (the Nirṇayāmṛta), and the one that covers midday, joined to the Pratipadā (Hemādri). Nirṇaya-sindhu p. 304
Popular practice: the names Bhai Dooj, Bhau Beej, Bhai Phonta and Bhai Tika; the form of the sister’s worship, with the tilak, the ārti and the coconut; her gifts to her brother; and a muhurat for the tilak. The texts read give none of these.
Bhai Dooj 2026 around the world
Each city’s own time- LondonAfternoon 12:38 – 14:27
- New York CityAfternoon 12:40 – 14:40
- TorontoAfternoon 13:00 – 14:58
- DelhiAfternoon 13:09 – 15:19
- MumbaiAfternoon 13:29 – 15:45
- KolkataAfternoon 12:27 – 14:40
- ChennaiAfternoon 13:02 – 15:20
- BengaluruAfternoon 13:12 – 15:31
- HyderabadAfternoon 13:08 – 15:24
- AhmedabadAfternoon 13:29 – 15:42
- PuneAfternoon 13:26 – 15:41
- JaipurAfternoon 13:15 – 15:26
- LucknowAfternoon 12:55 – 15:05
- SydneyAfternoon 14:01 – 16:46
- DubaiAfternoon 13:08 – 14:23
- SingaporeAfternoon 14:00 – 16:25
In popular practice, Bhai Dooj closes the five days of Diwali. Diwali 2026: the five days. Other years: Bhai Dooj 2027, Bhai Dooj 2028. All Bhai Dooj dates.
Questions
From the Dharmasindhu, p. 79, and the Nirṇaya-sindhu, pp. 304–306.
When is Bhai Dooj 2026?
In Delhi, on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, with the afternoon for Yama’s worship, 13:09 to 15:19. In London, New York City and Toronto it is Tuesday, 10 November. Dharmasindhu p. 79
What time is the Bhai Dooj muhurat?
The afternoon, the fourth fifth of the daytime, when the Dharmasindhu sets Yama’s worship with Citragupta and the arghya to Yama: in Delhi in 2026, 13:09 to 15:19. The meal at the sister’s home has no stated time. Dharmasindhu p. 79; Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 304–306
Is Bhai Dooj the same as Yama Dwitiya?
Yes. The texts call the day Yama-dvitīyā, because Yamunā fed Yama, her brother, at her home on it. Bhai Dooj, Bhau Beej, Bhai Phonta and Bhai Tika are popular names for the same day. Dharmasindhu p. 79; Nirṇaya-sindhu p. 305
Why is the date different abroad?
The day turns on whether the Dvitīyā covers the afternoon at the city. The Dvitīyā begins and ends at the same moment everywhere, but each city’s afternoon falls at a different moment, so a city far from Delhi can keep the other day.
How the day is found
Read the methodology- The day
- The Kārtika śukla Dvitīyā: the earlier day only when it covers the afternoon on that day alone, otherwise the later day (Dharmasindhu p. 79).
- Afternoon
- The fourth fifth of the daytime at the city, from sunrise to sunset: the time for Yama’s worship and the arghya to Yama. The meal at the sister’s home has no stated time.
- Other views
- The Nirṇaya-sindhu’s two reported views, the Pratipadā-joined Dvitīyā and Hemādri’s midday, appear as a note (p. 304).
Sunrise and sunset at the centre of the Sun’s disc, with refraction · Lahiri ayanamsa for month names · each city’s own time · Swiss Ephemeris · Method