Many women who live in India wear a red dot on their forehead. This tradition is deeply rooted in antiquity and means that a woman is married and professes Hinduism.
What is the name of the point on the forehead?
The most common name for this point is bindi. It is sometimes called tika, chandra or tillak. From Hindi it translates as "drop" or "small particle".
Most often it is women who wear bindi on their foreheads. But men also sometimes put such a mark on their foreheads. It is applied as a distinctive sign and decoration. It can be of any shape, and the materials with which this point is applied are also varied. It depends on the directions in Hinduism.
Indian women usually have bindi in the form of a dot, but they vary in size. It also depends on the ethnicity and the region in which the women live.
What does bindi mean?
No one knows for sure why Indian women began to put such a point on their foreheads. According to Tantrism, it is believed that the eye of the god Shiva is located in this place. It is called the "third eye" and is a symbol of wisdom. It is also believed that bindi protects from the evil eye.
Why is tiku applied between the eyebrows? It is believed that this place is the "sixth chakra". It collects life experience. According to tantric custom, everything that a person thinks about rises up the spine to the sources of the head and passes through the bindi. The purpose of this point is to conserve energy and increase concentration.
Also, the Hindus have a custom that the groom should apply his blood to his future wife. Therefore, the tick was considered its symbol. But now this rite is not popular, and it is gradually being forgotten.
Before India became an independent country, Bindi indicated belonging to one of the castes. For example, if the dot was black, the woman was referred to as a Kshtariya, and if it was red, a brahmana.
According to custom, an Indian bride should cross the threshold of her husband's house dressed in bright clothes, jewelry and with a bright bindi on her forehead. The red dot signifies good luck and prosperity for a married woman and serves as a reminder to her of the sanctity of marriage.
What is bindi made of?
Traditionally, bindi is burgundy or red. With the help of a small amount of cinnabar (scarlet-colored mercury sulfide) with the tip of her finger, a woman can make a perfectly even bindi.
Some women who are not skilled use discs or coins with a hole. They are attached to the forehead with wax, and bindi is applied to the hole. Then the disc is removed.
In addition to cinnabar, sindur (lead oxide), abir, and bovine blood can be used as paint for tiki. There is also such a dye as turmeric. It is made with turmeric, lemon juice, honey, and powdered sugar.
