Bhai Phota 2026 Date and Time: Bhai Dooj Tilak Muhurat
Bhai Phota 2026 Date and Time at a Glance
Bhai Phota 2026 is on Wednesday, 11 November, and the Dwitiya tithi covers the whole afternoon that day. The same date applies to Bhai Dooj, Bhaiya Dooj and Yama Dwitiya across India.
| Detail | Bhai Phota 2026 |
|---|---|
| Festival names | Bhai Phota, Bhai Dooj, Bhratri Dwitiya, Yama Dwitiya |
| Date | Wednesday, 11 November 2026 |
| Dwitiya tithi begins | Tuesday, 10 November 2026, about 2:00 PM |
| Dwitiya tithi ends | Wednesday, 11 November 2026, about 3:53 PM |
| Best phonta time in Kolkata | 12:26 PM to 2:40 PM |
| Kolkata sunrise and sunset | 5:46 AM and 4:54 PM |
| Hindu month and paksha | Kartik, Shukla Paksha |
Tithi times can differ by a minute or two between panchangs, so check the one your family follows.
Bhai Phota Tilak Muhurat 2026 in Kolkata and West Bengal
The best time to give the phonta in Kolkata is 12:26 PM to 2:40 PM on Wednesday, 11 November 2026. This is the Aparahna, the afternoon part of the day that tradition prefers for the tilak. It is the fourth of five equal parts of daylight, counted from the Kolkata sunrise at 5:46 AM to sunset at 4:54 PM. Dwitiya stays active until about 3:53 PM, so the whole window falls inside the tithi.
If that window does not suit your family, the phonta can still be given at any time while Dwitiya lasts, morning or afternoon, until about 3:53 PM.
Why Bhai Phota falls on 11 November and not 10 November
Dwitiya begins at about 2:00 PM on 10 November, near the end of that day’s afternoon window, so most of 10 November still belongs to Pratipada. On 11 November, Dwitiya is present at sunrise and covers the whole afternoon window. That is why the festival is observed on 11 November, and why the West Bengal government has notified Bhratridwitiya on that date.
Do not copy a muhurat from another city
Sunrise and sunset differ across India, so the afternoon window shifts from city to city. A muhurat published for another city will not match Kolkata. Use 12:26 PM to 2:40 PM for Kolkata and a local panchang anywhere else.
Some families follow Pratipada
Most Bengali families give the phonta on Dwitiya, the second day of the bright fortnight after Kali Puja. Some follow an older family custom of giving it a day earlier, on Pratipada. Follow your family tradition and your own panjika.
Kali Puja to Bhai Phota: West Bengal Holidays in 2026
Bhai Phota comes three days after Kali Puja and Diwali on Sunday, 8 November 2026, and the West Bengal government has notified 11 November as a public holiday. The state also lists 12 November as a holiday.
| Date | Day | Occasion |
|---|---|---|
| 8 November | Sunday | Kali Puja and Diwali |
| 9 November | Monday | Additional day for Kali Puja |
| 10 November | Tuesday | Additional day for Kali Puja |
| 11 November | Wednesday | Bhratridwitiya (Bhai Phota), public holiday |
| 12 November | Thursday | Day after Bhratridwitiya |
The dates come from the Government of West Bengal Finance Department notification 4188-F(P2), dated 27 November 2025. For the Kali Puja tithi and puja timings, read the Kali Puja 2026 date and time guide.
Bhai Phota 2026 in the USA, UK and Other Countries
Bengali families abroad may need to give the phonta on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, one day before India. Dwitiya begins in the afternoon of 10 November in India and ends in the afternoon of 11 November. Because India is ahead of the USA and the UK, the tithi has already ended before the afternoon of 11 November there, so local panchangs place the festival on 10 November.
Do not convert the Kolkata muhurat into your own time zone. Check a panchang set to your own city and follow your family tradition.
Bhai Phota, Bhai Dooj, Bhau Beej and Bhai Tika: All the Names
Bhai Phota, Bhai Dooj, Bhau Beej and Bhai Tika are regional names for one festival, held on Kartik Shukla Dwitiya after Diwali and Kali Puja.
| Name | Where it is used | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Bhai Phota, Bhai Phonta, Bhai Fota (ভাইফোঁটা) | West Bengal and Bengali communities | Bhai is brother, phota is the dot of paste on the forehead |
| Bhai Dooj, Bhaiya Dooj | North India and across India | Dooj is the second day of the lunar fortnight |
| Bhau Beej | Maharashtra | Bhau is brother in Marathi, beej is the second lunar day |
| Bhai Beej | Gujarat | Beej or bij is the second lunar day |
| Bhai Tika | Nepal | Last day of Tihar, with a seven-coloured tika |
| Yama Dwitiya | Panchangs across India | Dwitiya of Yama, named after the god of death in the legend |
| Bhratri Dwitiya, Bhratridwitiya (ভ্রাতৃদ্বিতীয়া) | Sanskrit name, and the name on West Bengal holiday lists | The brother’s second day |
English spellings vary. Bhai Phota, Bhai Phonta, Bhai Fota, Bhai Fonta and Bhaifota all point to the same Bengali festival.
Why Bhai Phota Is Celebrated: The Story of Yama and Yamuna
Bhai Phota honours the legend of Yama, the god of death, and his twin sister Yamuna. According to the story, Yama visited Yamuna on Kartik Shukla Dwitiya after a long absence. She welcomed him with an aarti, a tilak on his forehead and a feast. Moved by her love, Yama granted a boon: any brother who receives a tilak from his sister on this day is freed from the fear of untimely death. That is why the day is also called Yama Dwitiya.
In Bengal, the festival centres on the same promise. Sisters often fast until they have given the phonta, and they pray for their brothers’ long life and protection. Another tradition links the day to Krishna visiting his sister Subhadra after the defeat of Narakasura.
How to Give the Bhai Phota Phonta: Rituals Step by Step
The sister gives the phonta on her brother’s forehead, prays for his long life, and then serves a festive meal.
What goes on the thali
A typical plate holds sandalwood paste (chandan), kajal, curd, a lamp, dhaan (paddy) and durba grass, and sweets. Some families add a small gift. Materials vary from home to home.
Step by step
- The sister fasts from the morning until the phonta is given.
- The brother sits on an aasan, a small mat, usually facing east.
- She lights the lamp and places the thali in front of him.
- She applies the phonta on his forehead with her ring finger, traditionally three times, while reciting the rhyme.
- She blesses him with dhaan and durba if she is older, or touches his feet if he is older.
- Conch shells are blown and the women make the ulu sound.
- She offers sweets and serves the festive meal. The brother gives her a gift and promises to stand by her.
The Bhai Phota rhyme
Sisters recite a traditional couplet while giving the phonta:
ভাইয়ের কপালে দিলাম ফোঁটা, যমের দুয়ারে পড়ল কাঁটা
Bhaier kopale dilam phonta, Yamer duware porlo kanta
It means: “I place the mark on my brother’s forehead, and a thorn falls at Yama’s door.” The thorn keeps Yama away from the brother. The rest of the rhyme varies by family, so recite the version your family knows.
The Bhai Phota Feast: Luchi, Kosha Mangsho and Mishti
The meal after the phonta is the heart of Bhai Phota in Bengali homes. Sisters often serve luchi with cholar dal, fish curry and kosha mangsho, the slow-cooked mutton curry, though menus differ from family to family. The meal ends with mishti, which is essential to the day. Rosogolla, sandesh and mishti doi are the favourites.
Celebrate the Day
Whatever name your family uses, Bhai Phota 2026 on Wednesday, 11 November is the same day: a sister’s blessing, a brother’s promise and a shared meal. Give the phonta between 12:26 PM and 2:40 PM in Kolkata, or at any time while Dwitiya lasts, and check your own panjika for local timing. Shubho Bhai Phota! শুভ ভাইফোঁটা!
