Bindi and India

12  years back while walking in New York, an American lady called me and said that my son wants to ask you a question. I looked apprehensively towards that small boy. He asked,” Why do you put this mark on, he was pointing towards my Bindi. The lady looked more curious than the son, “Is it a mark of marriage, “Is it a mark of Hindu”. Unaware of any conventional reasons I simply said that I put it because it increases my face value just as you put lipstick on. I knew this much only in those days although today I know many cultural, scientific and spiritual reasons also to do so.

For the uninitiated, Bindi is a round mark put on the forehead, in between the eye brows, very commonly seen in the Indian subcontinent The male counterpart of Bindi is called Tikka. A Tikka can be round or like a small vertical line in between the eye-brows. The conventional ones are made up of Kumkum and Chandan (Sandlewood powder). The Kumkum bindi is a mark of auspiciousness for married Hindu woman whereas a Chandan Bindi is known for its good fragrance. This is also considered spiritual and has a cooling effect on the forehead. The great fragrance of Chandan also keeps the mood elevated. In south India there is a convention of putting ashes on the forehead in the shape of a horizontal line.

One of my south Indian friends shared that this ash Bindi is a daily reminder that one day you are going to be in ashes any way. All the Indian Pooja and Havan ceremonies start by putting a Tikka made up of ‘Roli’. ‘Roli’ is a red colour powder substance cosidered auspicious. Tikka is also a mark of welcome when someone special comes in Indian houses, and also a gesture of see off, when you send your special someone for some great task.

On the scientific note, the Bindi stimulates the Pituitary gland that is behind the forehead. The Pituitary gland is a master gland that secretes hormones that stimulate other endocrine glands.  Spritually, the eye brow center is the seat of ‘Aagya Chakra’, also called the third eye. This is the awareness center of the body.

The modern Avatar of this conventional Indian bindi is a sticker Bindi. It comes in jazzy designs of various colors, shapes and sizes. Women generally put a matching bindi with their dresses. So many Bollywood songs are there to appreciate the beauty of a woman with Bindi on.


So happy bindi putting...


Jai Guru Dev

Monika