Many women who live in India wear a red dot on their foreheads. This tradition is rooted deep in antiquity and means that a woman is married and professes Hinduism.
What is the point on the forehead called?
The most common name for this point is bindi. It is sometimes called teak, chandra or tillak. With Hindi, this translates as "drop" or "small particle."
It is women who most often have bindi on their foreheads. But men also sometimes put such a mark on their foreheads. Put it as a distinctive sign and decoration. It can be of any shape, and the materials with which this point is applied are also diverse. It depends on the trends in Hinduism.
In Indian women, bindi is usually in the form of a dot, but they vary in size. It also depends on the nationality and region in which the women live.
What does bindi mean?
No one knows for sure why the Indian women began to put such a point on their foreheads. According to Tantrism, there is an opinion that the eye of the god Shiva is located on 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 tic applied between the eyebrows? It is believed that in this place is the "sixth chakra." It gathers life experience. According to tantric custom, everything a person thinks of rises along 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.
There is also a custom among Hindus that the groom must inflict his blood on his future wife. Therefore, teak 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 kstaria, and if the red one was referred to brahmanas.
According to custom, the 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 indicates the luck and prosperity of a married woman and serves as a reminder of the sanctity of marriage.
