Bhai Dooj gifts 2026
Bhai Dooj falls on Tuesday 10 November 2026 in the US, two days after Diwali (Sunday 8 November), according to Drik Panchang's calendar for California; check your local panchang for the exact tika time. Sisters apply a tilak to their brother's forehead, perform a small aarti and feed him something sweet; brothers give a gift in return. This page lists what you need for the ceremony and gifts in both directions, all from the Taj Bazaar catalog, with prices in US dollars, duties included.
Everything in the first two tables ships from US stock in 1–2 days, so an order placed by early November arrives in time.
For the tilak and aarti
| Item | What's in it | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Rakhi Gift Set with Roli-Chawal | 2 silk-thread rakhis, roli (lead-tested), rice and a card, from Kinari Bazaar, Delhi | $12 |
| Brass Puja Thali Set | 10 in brass plate with diya, bell, kumkum bowls and incense stand, made in Moradabad | $49 |
| Old Delhi Sohan Halwa, 400 g | Wheat, ghee, sugar, almonds, pistachio and saffron, set into discs in a tin, from Chandni Chowk | $16 |
The rakhi set is sold for Raksha Bandhan, but its roli and chawal are what the Bhai Dooj tilak uses; the rakhis can be kept for August. The thali holds the diya and kumkum for the aarti and is used again for every puja after. Sohan halwa keeps in its tin, so it can be bought ahead. For a full Diwali puja list, see the Diwali puja essentials checklist.
Gifts for your brother
| Gift | Made in | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Embroidered Punjabi Jutti | Patiala, Punjab (leather, hand embroidery, EU 36–42) | $49 |
| Kolhapuri Chappals | Kolhapur, Maharashtra (vegetable-tanned leather, EU 36–46) | $64 |
| Block-Print Cotton Kurta | Sanganer, Jaipur (100% cotton, XS–XXL, unisex fit) | $58 |
| Attar Khus (Vetiver), 6 ml | Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh | $29 |
| Mitti Attar, 6 ml | Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh | $34 |
| South Indian Filter Coffee Set | Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu | $34 |
| Coorg Arabica Coffee Beans, 250 g | Kodagu (Coorg), Karnataka | $19 |
| Hammered Copper Water Bottle, 1 L | Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh | $34 |
| Pachisi Board Game (Cloth) | Jaipur, Rajasthan | $39 |
| Handmade Paper Journal | Sanganer, Jaipur (A5, 160 pages) | $18 |
If he dresses up for Diwali week, the jutti and the kurta make a set: the jutti is toe-curled leather embroidered by hand, the kurta is hand block-printed cotton. Kolhapuris are GI-tagged sandals stitched without nails; ask his size first, since both shoes come in EU sizes.
If he's hard to buy for, attar is a safe pick. Both come from Kannauj in 6 ml glass vials with a sandalwood oil base: khus smells green and cooling, mitti is distilled from baked clay and smells of first rain.
If he lives on coffee, the filter set has the two-tier steel filter, tumbler, davara and 200 g of coffee-chicory blend for Kumbakonam-style "degree coffee". The Coorg beans are a washed arabica, medium roast, whole bean.
For the family, pachisi is the cross-shaped cloth board game that became Ludo, with wooden pawns and cowrie dice, and it fills the evening after the meal.
Gifts for your sister
In many families the brother's gift is jewellery or something to wear. Two pieces in 925 sterling silver ship from US stock, both made in Dariba Kalan, Old Delhi's silver lane:
- Oxidised Silver Jhumkas (925), 1.8 in drop, $39
- Silver Payal Anklets (925), Pair, 10 in adjustable with small bells, $34
If you have more time
The Banarasi Silk Stole ($89, woven in Varanasi, 22 × 72 in) is made to order in 25 days, and the Khari Baoli Dry Fruit & Spice Box ($39) and Masala Chai Kit ($54) are packed to order in 10 days. Those lead times come before the parcel ships, so the stole will not arrive by 10 November; the 10-day items need ordering now, and all three work as Christmas gifts instead.
More ideas for the season are on the Diwali gifts hub and in the Diwali gift boxes guide.