New Delhi: Bhai Dooj, also known as Bhau Beej or Bhai Tika, is a Hindu festival that celebrates the special bond between brothers and sisters. Observed on the second day after Diwali, it falls during the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of the moon) in the Hindu month of Kartik. On this day, sisters pray for their brothers’ well-being, prosperity, and long life, performing a ritual where they apply a sacred tilak (mark) on their brothers’ foreheads.
This year, Bhai Dooj was celebrated on November 3. While most people were busy celebrating the sibling festival with their brothers and sisters, this one woman’s unique Bhai Dooj celebrations created ripples on social media. Aayushi Jain celebrated Bhai Dooj with her pet squirrel, ‘Gillu,’ carrying out all the customary rituals in a delightful show of affection that charmed Instagram followers.
Woman celebrates Bhai Dooj with her pet squirrel
In a reel that has now gone viral, Aayushi was seen celebrating Bhai Dooj with her one-year-old squirrel, Gillu. Clad in traditional clothing, she held an aarti plate and smiled as she performed the rituals with heartfelt warmth. The video started with Jain delicately applying a small kumkum tilak on Gillu’s forehead—a gesture typically reserved for a brother. She followed this by gently sprinkling rice grains over the little squirrel, symbolizing blessings. This ritual, usually conducted to wish a brother good health and prosperity, was charmingly adapted to suit her “brother” in an endearing display.
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‘Thank you for saving me from me’
In her caption, Jain shared her deep gratitude for Gillu, writing, “Thank you for saving me from mef.” She added a poetic note, calling him, “The reward of all our good deeds” (Humare acche karmo ka fal).
Well, that is quite a different Bhai Dooj celebration and a very cute one at that, we must say!
