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Bindi - The Dot
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The dot or bindi also known as 'tika', 'pottu', 'sindoor',
'tilak', 'tilakam', 'bindiya', 'kumkum' and by other names.
Pronounced as 'Bin Dee', the word bindi is derived from the Sanskrit
word bindu, which means "drop". Bindi
is an auspicious ornamental mark worn by Hindu girls and women on
their orehead between the two eyes . Bindi is arguably the most |
visually fascinating in all form of body decoration.
More than a beauty
spot, the manga tika (bindi) indicates good omen and purity.
Traditionally Bindi is a symbol of marriage, very similar to western
wedding bands.
A red dot on the forehead is an auspicious sign of marriage and
guarantees the social status and sanctity of the institution of
marriage. Bindi were worn by married women in North India in the
form of a little red dot. It denotes the woman's
married status in most of the North Indian communities but in South
India it is a prerogative of all girls to wear a bindi. The bridegroom's
make-up is incomplete without Tilak, it is applied
on the groom's forehead during the wedding ceremony. No festival or puja
is complete without the tilak and sindoor. 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, it has became a fashion accessory
and is worn today by unmarried girls and women of other religions as
well. No longer restricted in color or shape, bindis today are seen in many colors and designs and are
manufactured with self-adhesives and felt. |
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The
very positioning of the bindi is significant. The bindi is always
worn on in the middle of the eyebrows, this is believed to be the most
important pressure point of the human body. This point is known by various
names such as Ajna chakra, Spiritual eye, Third eye meaning
'command', is the seat of concealed wisdom. It is the centre point
wherein all experience is gathered in total concentration. According to
the tantric
cult, when during meditation the latent energy rises from
the base of the spine towards the head, this 'agna' is the probable
outlet for this potent energy. The red 'kumkum' between the eyebrows is
said to retain energy in the human body and control the various levels
of concentration. It is also the central point of the base of the
creation itself — symbolizing auspiciousness and good fortune.
No one knows exactly when the tradition of putting a bindi
started, but since centuries it is seen on the foreheads of Hindu men
and women. 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, the bindi is
more about the mood and occasion. They are often matched with the color clothing a person is wearing.
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. |
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Some Designs or Patterns of Bindi |
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We here present some Bindi designs which can
be made with different color liquid bindis or in combination with
sticker bindis. |
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