I enjoy watching curious people and I wait for them to go ahead and ask even if they may not get a satisfying answer, I feel thats one way to learn about things around you.....Ask.
One of the questions that I get asked most often is "Does that dot on your forehead mean anything?" Yes it sure does. I didnt bother to find out what it meant until I came to the USA and realized that although I wore it everyday, I didnt know what it meant. So I tried to find out, and here is the information I have about the the dot on my forehead
It is called the Bindi, Sindoor,Theeka or Tilak depending on which Indian you ask. Bindi is derived from the Sanskrit word "Bindu" or a drop. It is a symbol of auspiciousness. To a Hindu, the Bindi is a sacred symbol. It symbolizes the cosmic sound of OM and hence reminds us of our connection to all that is part of the Universe. In the earlier days Bindi or Tilak was worn by Indian Men and women for spiritual reasons. In the present world, only those men who are traditional wear it, while most women continue to follow it, for they are the bearers of traditions.
According to Hinduism, there are energy centers within our body, which can be awakened via meditation, yoga and other disciplines. The area between the eyebrows is the energy center of latent wisdom, called the "Agna Chakra" (6th chakra), meaning "command center". By wearing the Bindi, one is reminded of his/her capacity for wisdom and knowledge. Tantric tradition has it that during meditation, the "kundalini" - the latent energy that lies at the base of the spine is awakened and rises to the point of sahasrara (7th chakra) situated at our crown. The central point, the bindu, becomes therefore a possible outlet for this potent energy. It is believed that the red Bindi(kumkum) is placed between the eyebrows to retain this energy in the human body. The practice of using Bindi/kumkum on foreheads is mentioned in many ancient texts - the Puranas, Lalitha Sahasranamam, Soundarya Lahhari to name a few.
Most ancient societies have ways of communicating without having to use words. Usually this is done by some form of symbolism. Everything from the colour to the finger used to apply and the precise spot at which the Tilak is applied assumes importance. Black mark signifies peace, red for strength/courage, yellow for wealth/prosperity and white for Nirvana or spiritual liberation. The tilak worn using the thumb imparts strength, the forefinger- freedom, the middle finger-longevity, the ring-finger-sustenance. People in the Indian sub-continent use the Tilak(mostly worn by the male) to identify their different sectarian ties or for good luck. We have four major sects, Shaivas, Vaishnavas, Saktas and Smartas. Each sect apply the Tilak in different ways. The shivas use ash and draw 3 horizontal lines. The vishnavas, use sandalwood paste and draw 3 vertical lines. The Shaktas use the Kumkum.
For a woman, the colour of the bindi signifies her marital status. Any colour other than Red is used by unmarried girls. In Northern India a girl is not required to wear a bindi while in the south India, it is not so. Red coloured dots are used by those who are married. Those who are widows, do not wear a bindi. In some regions of India, when someone in the family dies, the women in the family do not wear a bindi for the period of mourning.
Bindi, is called Pottu/Bottu or Tilaka depending on the region in India. Different materials are used for this marking. The most common ones are sindoor, kumkum(a red plant dye mixed with turmeric powder), turmeric, aguru(a herb), kasturi(musk, from the deer), Gandha(Sandalwood), and Ash. In ancient times, women would grind saffron together with the kusumbha flower to create a paste to use on their foreheads. Red represents Shakti (the goddess of strength). The red colour, some believe, symbolizes the far more ancient practice of offering blood sacrifices to propitiate the Gods - particularly the Goddess Shakti. In time, communities put an end to actual sacrifices and offered gifts instead, but the colour red remained. The yellow of the turmeric has the power to influence the intellect. That is why the red kumkum and the yellow turmeric are placed side by side in temples or in any homes during a celebration. Both are offered to women at the time of taking leave in certain parts of the country. This is to express goodwill and the hosts' prayers for the guests' continued good fortune.
Both Sindoor and kumkum are Auspicious. Both stand for good fortune and signs of "Soubhagya(the fortune of having a husband)" in the case of a married woman. The Sindoor is usually worn in the parting of the hair on the head to signify the Status of being Married. Men wore the vermilion dot as a mark of spiritual intelligence. The forehead dot known as the "urna" is found on the 2nd and 3rd century AD sculptures of Lord Buddha. Today, most men wear kumkum specifically during worship or religious ceremonies.
Some scholars have seen the red colour as a symbolism for blood. We are told that in ancient times, in Indian societies, a groom used to apply his blood, on his bride's forehead as recognition of wedlock. The existing practice among Indian women of applying a round shaped red Bindiya or Kumkum could be a survival of this.
The bridegroom's make-up is incomplete without the Tilaka. The decked North Indian bride steps over the threshold of her married home, resplendent with the red bindi on her forehead. The red color is supposed to augur prosperity for the home she is entering. The mark makes her the preserver of the family's welfare, honour and progeny.
Today, the Bindi and the Kumkum has become a fashion statement around the world. To keep up the demand in the fashion industry, the kumkum, is being replaced by the "sticker-bindi". Made of felt, with glue on one side, this is an ingenious easy-to-use substitute. The sticker-bindi comes in all colours and design, sequinned, dusted with gold powder, studded with beads and glittering stones and in different sizes. They have become expressions of art and fashion.
The bindi is an adornment that lights up your face and gives it a focal point. Bindi, on the beloved's forehead is supposed to mesmerise her lover. Poets, through ages have composed couplets on the beautiful bindiya of the damsel. The bindi still attracts a lot of attention, as it is the first thing that catches our eye. The bindi carries with it a wealth of meaning and is an on-going link with a very ancient spiritual tradition.
