“What does the bindi mean?
I can no longer count how many women have asked me this question. It’s a tricky question because the answer that follows never fails to disappoint.
“It doesn’t signify anything, It’s just jewelry.” I say, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
”but only married women wear it right?”
“Everyone wears them. It’s just decoration, like make up or jewelry.”
Her face falls in disappointment.
I always thought the bindi was a symbol for marriage. I remember feeling rather let down when I learned there was no real significance to the bindi. I loved the idea of a stronger visual symbol of marriage, and a bindi would be perfect for that. You can’t get much clearer than a dot in the center of your forehead. It certainly would come in handy for that overly rambunctious boy across the street, planning the world next greatest pickup line.
My non-Indian friends and I are left hoping. While bindis have a history of more symbolism and were once a mark made from a colorful powder called vermilion, these days you can buy envelopes of adhesive bindi stickers that come in all sorts of styles, from a simple red or black felt circle, to more elabrate designs and gems. How do you know what style to wear? By whatever matches your outfit of course.
Indian women wear bindis low on their forehead, almost between the eyebrows. Although there is no set rule for placement, putting it closer to the center of your forehead will look odd.
Hindu women do have a symbol of marriage very similar to the bindi. Many of them wear a bright red powder called vermillion in their hair, along the part line. Hindu men also wear vermilion on their forehead after attending temple or during religious ceremonies. Vermilion is also placed on the forehead of loved ones upon welcoming them back home.
I have a box full of bindis. I’ve sorted them between plain felt bindis and bejeweled bindis. They’ll last three or four uses and I’ll remove them and stick them to my mirror for future use. My dressing table mirror is bordered with once or twice used bindis awaiting their next go around.
I’ve kept the bindis I wore during my Indian wedding. Though I haven’t worn them again as I’m afraid of them falling off and being lost forever. Wedding style bindi is much more decorative, often having one center bindi, then lining the eyebrows with smaller decorative ones. Mine was a design of stone adhesive bindis alternating with small dots of vermilion.
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Hi! My name is Colleen
Hi there! I'm Colleen. I'm a girl from sunny Santa Cruz, California who married a Punjabi boy from Bombay. These are the stories, recipes and photos of our adventures together as I've learned about, and fallen in love with, Indian culture...as well as taught Hubby a thing or two about my American ways of doing things. Pull up a chair and enjoy!
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Nice write up on Bindis . People from Different parts of India will have different significance of wearing A Bindi . Where I come from a widow does not wear a yellow bindi or use any vermillion. She may do a bindi made from sandals wood powder . The yellow bindi may be on her forehead or on near her throat …
Mina
Hi Mina – That’s so interesting! I heard widows don’t wear any jewelry and some others have said they only wear white very plain clothing, but I guess that depends upon the region.
Colleen
Nowadays in my part of the world – they tend to wear pastel colours and w
Wear gold jewellery like bangles and simple chains .. Years ago it was white sari . People are changing with the times .
Traditionally, the area between the eyebrows (where the bindi is placed) is said to be the sixth chakra, ajna, the seat of “concealed wisdom”. According to followers of Hinduism, this chakra is the exit point for kundalini energy. The bindi is said to retain energy and strengthen concentration. It is also said to protect against demons or bad luck. The bindi also represents the third eye.
Info as per wiki.
Elders in my family insisted that growing girls wear bindi and a gold chain around their necks. Truth or myth I am not sure, but it helps in keeping the mind and body stable.
Love Ash.
Colleen
Correction (typing from an iphone is a bad idea). I meant to say that widows from my community anywhere in the World do not wear bindis. Some may use a yellow sandal wood bindi which has a religious significance depending on which diety they worship.
So much new information! This is great ladies, thank you!
Hi, the point between the eyebrows is also said to be used for hypnosis. Hence right from birth, the bindi in the form of an organic black ink (like kajal) will be applied like a bindi on the child’s
‘ forehead to ward off black magic and the evil eye. Similarly for girls the bindi is to ward off black magic. However with changing times it is difficult to prepare the organic ink and also removing it everyday is tougher than removing makeup. Thus came the adhesive bindi for convenience and style.
Cheers
Aish
Hi Everyone ~
Aish brought up a good point, so now I’m curious what everyone’s thoughts are regarding the bindi:
Do you think Indian women still wear the bindi today for spiritual and protective reasons, or do you feel the intention is towards beauty and style?
With my sister-in-law and mother-in-law, I get the impression it’s mainly an accessory, rather than something more meaningful. In fact, with my Mummy-ji, the only time I saw her wear a bindi was at our wedding.
I’m so intrigued to read the information about Bindi being drawn on newborn infants. My daughter, who is now 5, was born with a “beauty mark” on her forehead, between the eyes. A couple of years ago, she was told by someone that in his culture (I presumed Indian), it was an amazing fortune of good luck to be born that way. Now I understand a little better. Sadly, I’m having to look this information up as she’s suddenly become self-concious of the mark, and tried to take it off! So, I’ve been spending time showing her beautiful women who cultivate their beauty marks, and, now I’ll think of a way to transmit some of the “3rd eye,” good luck, and beliefs about intutiveness assigned to the placement of her “dot!” (My husband and I have always called it her bindi). Thanks for the information, and thank goodness for the internet! : )
awe! I remember I hated my freckles, now I love them cause they help look youthful
Women actually spend money and effort on giving themselves a bindi and she was born with one!
The more she hears it’s seen as special, the more it will help, I’d love to hear how she takes in the new ideas about her beauty mark.
Colleen…
I suggest you do not stick the Bindi on the mirror after use, reason being that the adhesive mark left behind on the mirror is difficult to take off and it looks ugly. you can instead put it back on the plastic on the same Bindi packet. That way your Bindi will not gather dust on it and notleave the ugly adhesive marks on your mirror.
Regards
Ashwini
Ah, good advice! Thanks Ash.