Yamadwitheya / Bhathru Dwithiya

In many parts of India, the fifth day of the Diwali festival is called as Yama Dwitheya that celebrates the unique relationship shared by a brother and his sister. On this day brothers treated to lavish feasts by their sisters. On this day, the sisters worship berry trees and wish welfare for their brothers, offer them sweets and apply tilak on their forehead. The brothers visit their sisters and thousands of brothers and sisters join hands and have a sacred bath in the river Yamuna.

According to legend it was on this day that the Yamuna river and her brother Yama were re-united after a long period of separation. Yama Raja (Dharam Raja) and Yamuna (Children of God Surya) are worshiped on this auspicious day. It was on this day the Yama raja visited his sister Yamuna of Gokul. The brother, who after bath in Yamuna or some other sacred river, visits her sister, no longer gets terror stricken by the thought of Yama Raja, the God of death.

This day symbolizes the society's respect for all women. The day gives every man the noble outlook to consider every woman as mother or sister. People also pray to the almighty Lord to grant the strength and wisdom to continue to follow path of truth and ask Him to enlighten the lives.