Agra, Nov. 11 -- Elaborate arrangements are being made for the festival of Bhai Dooj, or Yam Dutiya, on Wednesday, when brothers and sisters from different states across the country are expected to reach Mathura's Vishram Ghat. They will take a holy dip in the Yamuna, while sisters offer prayers at the only temple dedicated to Yamraj on the banks of the river, seeking long life for their brothers. Mathura police have issued an advisory asking visitors to bathe and perform rituals only at the designated ghats along the Yamuna and avoid unguarded spots. Sanjeev Kumar Rai, DSP Mahawan, Mathura, said bathing or taking a dip in the river at non-designated ghats could pose a risk to life. The festival of Bhai Dooj is more popularly known as Yam Dutiya in Mathura and Vrindavan, owing to the tradition of offering prayers at a unique temple dedicated to Yamraj, believed to be the only one of its kind, says Mohan Swaroop Bhatia, a veteran of Braj literature who was awarded the Padma Shri for his work on Braj culture. "Yam Dutiya marks the end of the five-day festivities of Deepotsav, the festival of Diwali. Thousands of sisters gather at Vishram Ghat in Mathura, where they take a dip in the Yamuna while holding their brothers' hands and pray at the rare temple of Yamraj, seeking long life for them," says Bhatia. The five-day festivities begin with Dhanteras, followed by Narak Chaturdashi, or Chhoti Diwali, and reach their peak with Diwali night, as in other parts of the country. There was a day's gap in the celebrations on Monday this year, but festivities resumed on Tuesday with Govardhan Puja. Braj stands apart for its grand celebrations of Govardhan Puja, with lakhs of devotees gathering at Daan Ghati, near the Govardhan hillock in Mathura district. Devotees undertake the parikrama (circumambulation) of the hillock, which is deeply revered in the Braj region. Brajwasis (residents of Braj) believe that Lord Krishna lifted this hillock on his index finger to protect them from the heavy rains unleashed by the angry Indra, the god of rain. Since then, Govardhan Puja has been organised at temples and households across the Braj region after Diwali. The district administration has made elaborate arrangements for the occasion at Vishram Ghat, the most prominent ghat in the land of Krishna. Water levels and quality have been ensured for the sanctity of the occasion, which marks the end of the Diwali festivities in the Braj region....