Bhai Dooj 2026: Tilak Time by City on 11 November, When Dwitiya Ends, and the Vidhi

2026-09-21

Bhai Dooj 2026 is on Wednesday, 11 November. The tilak is done in aparahna — 13:09 to 15:19 in Delhi — and Dwitiya ends at 15:54, so finish the tilak before 15:54 in every city.

Bhai Dooj 2026 falls on Wednesday, 11 November. The tilak is traditionally applied in the aparahna period — roughly mid-afternoon, explained below. In Delhi that is 13:09 to 15:19. Dwitiya tithi ends at 15:54 on 11 November, so wherever you are in India, finish the tilak before 15:54. Below: the window for 12 cities, what aparahna means, and a simple vidhi (procedure).

What is the Bhai Dooj 2026 date, and when does Dwitiya run?

Our panchang engine has Shukla Dwitiya beginning at 14:01 on 10 November and ending at 15:54 on 11 November. A tithi is a lunar day — the unit the Hindu calendar uses to fix festival dates. Dwitiya is the second lunar day of the bright (Shukla) fortnight, the half of the month when the Moon is growing.

On 11 November, Dwitiya is running at sunrise and covers the entire aparahna period. That is why Bhai Dooj is observed on Wednesday, 11 November. It is the last of the five days of Diwali — the full sequence is in our Diwali 2026 five-day calendar from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj.

Panchang for 11 November 2026 (Delhi)

What is the Bhai Dooj tilak time in my city?

The table gives sunrise, sunset and the aparahna window for 12 cities on 11 November 2026. Aparahna is the preferred time for the tilak. All times are in 24-hour format and come from our panchang engine.

One thing worth noticing. Dwitiya ends at 15:54, and in all 12 cities the aparahna window closes before that. So the full window is usable everywhere in this table. Mumbai has the latest window (until 15:45) and Kolkata the earliest (closing at 14:40).

If your city is not listed, use the nearest one. Eastern cities such as Kolkata and Patna see sunrise earlier, so their aparahna comes earlier; western cities such as Mumbai and Ahmedabad run later. Whatever your location, the 15:54 limit is the same across the country.

Why is the tilak done in aparahna?

Aparahna simply means the fourth part of the day. Divide the time from sunrise to sunset into five equal parts; the fourth part is aparahna. It is the stretch after midday and before evening.

Take Delhi as the worked example. From 06:41 to 17:28 the day is 10 hours 47 minutes long. One part is about 2 hours 9 minutes. Three parts after sunrise brings you to 13:09; four parts brings you to 15:19. That is Delhi's aparahna. Every city has its own sunrise and sunset, so every city has its own window.

According to tradition, the Bhai Dooj tilak is done on the day when Dwitiya is running during aparahna — what the almanacs call an aparahna-vyapini Dwitiya. Two conditions must hold at once: the time must be aparahna, and Dwitiya must still be running. In 2026 both conditions meet on 11 November, and only until 15:54. That is the one number to remember.

How is the Bhai Dooj tilak done? The vidhi

The vidhi is simple and is done at home. Before you begin, look up your city's aparahna window in the table above.

1. Prepare the thali (puja plate): roli (red kumkum paste) or chandan (sandalwood paste), akshat (unbroken rice grains), a diya (oil lamp) and sweets.
2. Seat the brother: he sits on a clean mat or seat; the sister stands or sits facing him.
3. Apply the tilak: the sister marks his forehead with roli or chandan and presses a few grains of akshat onto it.
4. Aarti: she lights the diya and performs aarti — circling the lamp before him.
5. Offer sweets: she feeds him a sweet. In Maharashtra the day's dishes are basundi (thickened sweet milk) and poli (a flatbread).
6. Gift: the brother gives his sister a gift. What matters is the feeling, not the price.

A few practical points. Set the thali up before aparahna begins, so the window is not spent on preparation. Put an alarm on your phone for your city's aparahna start. If there is more than one brother, do each tilak one after another within the same window. If roli is not at hand, chandan alone is fine.

In Mathura, brothers and sisters traditionally bathe together in the Yamuna on this day. For a fuller account of the puja, the tilak and the story, see Bhai Dooj 2026: date, tilak vidhi and katha.

What is the story behind Bhai Dooj?

According to the katha (traditional story), Yamuna invited her brother Yamraj to her home for a meal. She applied a tilak to his forehead, performed aarti and fed him with affection. It is believed that Yamraj was pleased by his sister's love and declared this day one of reunion between brothers and sisters. Because of this story the tithi is also called Yama Dwitiya, and the Mathura tradition of bathing in the Yamuna is linked to it.

Frequently asked questions

Can the tilak be done in the morning on Bhai Dooj?

Tradition treats aparahna as the best time — 13:09 to 15:19 in Delhi. But on 11 November Dwitiya is running from sunrise, since the tithi lasts from 14:01 on 10 November to 15:54 on 11 November. So if a brother has to leave early, the tilak can be done in the morning while Dwitiya is on. Where you have a choice, prefer aparahna.

What if we can only meet after 15:54?

Dwitiya ends at 15:54, and tradition keeps the tilak within Dwitiya. So try to finish before then — in the morning or early afternoon if the aparahna window does not work. Families who can only gather in the evening should follow their own household custom; many hold that the sentiment behind the tilak is what counts most.

Dwitiya begins on 10 November. Why is Bhai Dooj not on the 10th?

On 10 November Dwitiya begins at 14:01, so it is not running at sunrise that day. On 11 November Dwitiya is running at sunrise and covers the whole aparahna period. That is why the panchang engine places Bhai Dooj on 11 November.

My brother lives in another city. Whose time do we follow?

Follow the aparahna of the place where the tilak is actually happening. If it is over a video call, the sister checks her city's window and the brother checks his; pick a time that falls inside both. The 15:54 limit is the same for every city.

Your 11 November checklist

• Morning: prepare the thali — roli or chandan, akshat, diya, sweets.
• Note your city's aparahna window from the table. Delhi: 13:09–15:19.
• Before 15:54: tilak, aarti and sweets.
• The brother gives a gift; then share a meal together.

Daily sunrise, sunset and tithi for your city are on our daily panchang page.