atulaBindi...the forhead dot- History
September 6th 2008 18:49
Gwen stefani sporting a bindi
Actually, according to Hindu mythology, the area between the eyebrows is said to be the sixth chakra, the seat of "concealed wisdom". To conceal this point and save energy from exiting from this point the bindi is worn.
Earlier, men and women both wore a dot on the forehead for this very purpose. These were made of vermillion and the version that men wore was bigger in size, made from the thumb and was called a tilak. Even today, it is a custom to put tilak or tikka when a man is leaving for some important mission, welcoming guests and during puja ceremonies.
'Bindi' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'bindu' or a drop, and suggests the mystic third eye of a person. In ancient India, garlands were an important part of the evening-dress of both men and women. This was often accompanied by 'Visesakachhedya', i.e., painting the forehead with a bindi or 'tilaka'. In those days, thin and tender leaves used to be cut into different shapes and pasted upon the forehead. These leafy bindis were also known by various names — 'Patrachhedya', 'Patralekha', 'Patrabhanga', or 'Patramanjari'. Not only on the forehead, but also on the chin, neck, palm, breast and in other parts of the body, sandal paste and other natural stuff were used for decoration. (Courtesy – www.hinduism.about.com)
Coming back to the bindi, the cultural significance behind the dot is immense. Married women in India apply the red dot as a symbol of there marriage. Although unmarried girls too apply the bindi nowadays, the bindi’s assocaition with marriage is so strong, that a widowed women is actually stopped from using a red colored bindi after her husband’s demise.
The traditions have been replaced by modern views rapidly and thus bindi has now become a style statement. With celebs like Madonna, Shakira, sporting a bindi, people around the world are now trying to look cool with the dot. And iis just not the forehead anymore, some have even applied bindi on their arms, as tattoos!
So long as the customs gel with modernity and fashion..I am sure the bindi culture is here to stay!
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