Bhai Dooj: West Bengal's sex workers celebrate festival to break taboo, express global solidarity

Kolkata: Sex workers gathered to celebrate Bhai Dooj in Sonagachi, Kolkata's largest red-light district and Asia's most significant red-light area on Sunday. This annual event, organised by the sex workers Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, aims to foster respect for sex workers in society and promote the erasure of social divisions.

Bishakha Laskar, Secretary of the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, expressed the importance of this gathering. "All our sisters have gathered here. They have even come here from different districts. We all have gathered to celebrate the festival of Bhai Dooj... We want our brothers to stay healthy and the bond of brothers and sisters grow stronger," she said.

Looking ahead, Laskar mentioned plans to expand the celebration next year. "We have been doing it for many years, and next year, we are thinking of doing a bigger program. We will not be able to invite people from outside India, but we would like to convey a message to them," she added.

The Significance of Bhai Dooj
Bhai Dooj is celebrated under various names across India. In North India, it is known as Bhai Dooj, Bhau Bij, and Bhai Beej, while in Maharashtra, it is observed as Bhai Tika. In Bengal, the day is referred to as Bhai Phonta. In southern regions, particularly Karnataka and Telangana, it is known as Yama Dwitiya.

The festival commemorates the mythology of Goddess Yamuna, who hosted her brother, Yamraj, on the day of Kartik Dwitiya. This celebration has since become synonymous with love and protection between siblings.

On Bhai Dooj, sisters apply tilak to their brothers' foreheads and perform rituals such as fasting and puja, wishing for their long and prosperous lives. In return, brothers offer gifts and promise to protect their sisters. While Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj share similarities, sisters do not tie a rakhi on this occasion.

Ancient Hindu scriptures have highlighted Bhai Dooj as a celebration of the eternal bond between brothers and sisters. The tales of Lord Krishna and Yamraj are among the most well-known narratives associated with this cherished occasion.

With ANI inputs