Bhai Dooj & Chhath Puja 2026 Outfit Ideas: What to Wear for the Tilak, the Ghat and the Family Lunch
Diwali week does not end with Lakshmi Puja. Bhai Dooj falls on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, two days after Diwali, and Chhath Puja on Sunday, 15 November 2026, with the evening arghya on the 14th and the dawn arghya on the 15th. Both are family festivals rather than party festivals: a tilak at home in the morning, a long lunch, and for Chhath, standing waist-deep in a river or pond before sunrise. The clothes that work are the ones you can sit cross-legged in, cook in, hold a thali in and, for Chhath, get wet in without worrying. This guide covers all three moments – the tilak, the ghat and the lunch – for women, brothers and kids, in handcrafted cotton that goes back into the everyday wardrobe on 16 November.
For the Bhai Dooj tilak: bright, easy, photographable
The tilak happens in the morning, usually at your parents' or your brother's home, and it is the one photo of the day everyone keeps. Go for colour on top and a plain bottom. The Three Print Kalamkari cotton anarkali kurta (₹1,619) is the piece we sell most for exactly this: ankle-length, three hand-block Kalamkari prints on a black ground with rust, mustard and blue, and it needs nothing underneath but a churidar or straight white cotton pants. If black feels heavy for a morning ritual, the red Ajrakh print gathered and flared kurta (₹1,495) gives you the auspicious red without polyester shine, and the orange-rust cotton slub kurta with mirror embroidery (₹1,469) catches the light in photographs the way sequins do, minus the scratch.
For the brother: a kurta he will actually wear again
Bhai Dooj is the one day a year most men will put on a kurta without complaint, so buy the one that survives past the festival. A plain white kurta pyjama does everything – the white and silver stripe cotton kurta pyjama set starts at ₹460 in kids' sizes and the adult version at ₹919. Add a Nehru jacket for the tilak photo: the Mehul black Ajrakh print cotton Nehru jacket (₹714) over white, or the Arth indigo Ajrakh Nehru jacket for boys. Kalamkari Nehru jackets in maroon, black and beige are ₹369 each for kids – see Nehru jackets for kids.
For Chhath at the ghat: what gets wet and what dries
Chhath is the festival where fabric matters more than print. The vratis stand in water for the sunset and sunrise arghya, and everyone else stands on a wet, crowded bank in November cold. Wear cotton or khadi, never satin or georgette, and wear a length you can hitch. Traditional colours are yellow, red and orange – the colours of the sun. The yellow Kota Doria cotton kurta (₹1,349) with matching yellow Kota Doria pants (₹699) is the lightest option we have; Kota dries in an hour. For something with more body against the cold, the mehendi cotton slub gathered kurta (₹1,849) or the gerua (saffron) cotton slub pants (₹1,049) hold their shape when damp. Leave the jewellery at home except a pair of studs, and carry a dupatta you do not mind sitting on – a plain cotton one from the dupattas range.
For the family lunch: a set that sits well
The Bhai Dooj lunch runs three hours and involves the floor, so an anarkali or a kurta-with-flared-pants set beats a fitted dress. The light pink cotton anarkali with churidar (₹3,599) is the full traditional look; the beige Kalamkari angrakha kurta (₹1,469) over black cotton palazzos is the quieter one. A potli in Patola-print silk – the Geetika maroon Patola potli is ₹1,319 – holds the shagun envelopes and doubles as the gift.
Plus size (XL to XXXL)
Every kurta and set above is cut to XXXL (chest 116.8 cm / 46 in), and the anarkali, angrakha and gathered cuts are the most forgiving on a fuller frame. Filter the whole range by size on the plus size collection or the XXL page, and use the Find My Size calculator if you are between sizes – our cottons have little stretch, so size up.
Footwear and jewellery
Flat Kolhapuri chappals for the tilak and lunch (the rose pink cruelty-free leather Kolhapuri goes with every colour above), juttis if you want something closed, and nothing with a heel for the ghat – rubber chappals are the honest answer there. Oxidised silver jhumkas from earrings finish the Kalamkari and Ajrakh looks; gold-tone with the yellow Kota.
What to wear with it
One pair of white pants goes under every kurta in this guide. For a bright top, a plain bottom from palazzos and pants; for a plain top, a printed dupatta.
FAQ
When is Bhai Dooj 2026? Wednesday, 11 November 2026, the second day after Diwali (8 November).
When is Chhath Puja 2026? The main day, Sandhya Arghya, is Saturday 14 November; Usha Arghya at dawn on Sunday 15 November 2026. Nahay Khay begins on 12 November.
Which colours for Chhath? Yellow, saffron and red – sun colours. Avoid black at the ghat; it is considered inauspicious for the puja.
Do you deliver before 11 November with cash on delivery? Yes – order by 6 November for metro delivery. COD, 7-day easy returns and free shipping over ₹1,499 across India.
More from the series: Diwali 2026 outfit ideas · Karva Chauth 2026 · Winter wedding guest outfits. Shop the full range: kurtas · kurta sets · dresses · festive wear.
