Bindi

Ke Hai Hai Teri Bindiya Re




"A woman's beauty is multiplied 1,000 times when she wears a bindi"
-Hindu Proverb

the word bindi is derived from the Sanskrit word bindu, which means "drop". There are two common meanings of bindi throughout India. The first is tied to Hindu religion and the second is social symbol. Throughout India , the traditional red dot (often made with tikka powder or vermillion) can be seen on men and women alike. When visiting a temple, it is common for the priest to mark, men, women and children with this mark using his finger. The second historical and cultural significance of bindi is as a social symbol,
Bindi were worn by married women in North India in the form of a little red dot. Red was chosen because that color was suppose to bring good fortune into the home of the bride. The red mark made the bride the preserver of the family's honor and welfare. Over time, they also became a fashion accessory and changed in shape and colors.

In the past few decades, not only married women have taken up this beautiful accessory. Girls of all ages enjoy wearing a variety of styles and colors. Today, these little gems are often matched with the color clothing a person is wearing. It is a must with sarees, lenghas, salwar kameez or other Indian dresses. It is also used as an accessory to any belly dance , ethnic dance costume or for body art. They come with a sticker like back that allows you to place the bindi securely. Bindis are fast becoming the accessory of choice for their sensual charm and sparkle.


The bindi is arguably the most visually fascinating of all forms of body decoration. Hindus attach great importance to this ornamental mark on the forehead between the two eyebrows -- a spot considered a major nerve point in human body since ancient times. Also loosely known as 'tika', 'pottu', 'sindoor', 'tilak', 'tilakam', and 'kumkum', a bindi is usually a small or a big eye-catching round mark made on the forehead as adornment.


That Red Dot
Traditional bindi is red or maroon in color. A pinch of vermilion powder applied skillfully with practiced fingertip make the perfect red dot. Women who are not nimble-fingered take great pains to get the perfect round. They use small circular discs or hollow pie coin as aid. First they apply a sticky wax paste on the empty space in the disc. This is then covered with kumkum or vermilion and then the disc is removed to get a perfect round bindi. Sandal, 'aguru', 'kasturi', 'kumkum' (made of red turmeric) and 'sindoor' (made of zinc oxide and dye) make this special red dot. Saffron ground together with 'kusumba' flower can also create the magic!


With changing fashion, women try out many shapes and designs. It is, at times a straight vertical line or an oval, a triangle or miniature artistry ('alpana') made with a fine-tipped stick, dusted with gold and silver powder, studded with beads and crusted with glittering stones. The advent of the sticker-bindi made of felt with glue on one side, has not only added colors, shapes and sizes to the bindi but is an ingenious easy-to-use alternative to the powder. Today, bindi is more of a fashion statement than anything else, and the number of young performers sporting bindis is overwhelming even in the West.



most info taken from various websites