Janakpurdham, Nov 15: The ‘Bhardutiya’ is being celebrated in Madhes today. It has some similarities with Bhai Tika.
The festival is also called Bhatridutiya. Like Bhai Tika, sisters in Madhes offer colourful tika and garlands to their brothers on this day. The brothers, in return, provide money and gifts to their sisters.
The brothers visit their sisters’ homes to receive tika. Delicious foods are prepared and relished at sisters’ home on this occasion.
The sisters make their homes neat and tidy. A Maithili sketch, called ‘Arpin’ is prepared with clay at courtyard. The Arpin is laced with vermillion drip.
Unlike the Bhai Tika where the sisters go round the brothers with oil trail while worshipping brothers, the sisters on this day, go round the brothers with water trail, while the brothers are seated on the anointed slat with Arpin.
The sisters then put colourful tika to the forehead their brothers and wish longevity. The day is also regarded as the beginning of Chhath festival.
