All of us have moments in life where we realize the stand that we take. It could be an innocent decision about choosing a vegan dish or a certain kind of garment, which is different from the crowd. I, too, have had several such moments. One of them was in class XI. I loved my sister’s paisley-printed maroon kurta. I remember wearing that one day to college, sporting a red dot on my forehead. “Is it looking too big on my face?” I had wondered.
We ended up taking a group picture that day, all of us standing noisily in front of the weathered blackboard. And one of my friends suddenly teased me, pushing me out of the frame: “Hey, don’t join the picture! You’re looking like a behenji (aunty) today.” I was surprised, and of course, teased her back, while I joined the picture. That moment was soon forgotten then - yet I realized I could have been easily pushed away. All because of my bindi.
While my group had no problem putting a tilak of sandalwood paste after a temple visit, a bindi in college looked archaic.
Of course, we must exercise our right to choose. Everybody dresses differently and that’s what makes life exciting. Yet, sometimes, the lens of judgement come in, inadvertently.
Chandan lingam, anyone?
Half a century ago, a bindi on a married woman’s forehead signified her marital status in some communities. Though times have changed, I have seen relatives force a widow to end her period of mourning and gently urging her to wear a bindi, sometimes even a simple red dot on the forehead.
The bindi became everyone’s right of choice. It could be a little red dot on the forehead, a tear-shaped one, a bolder artistic expression with elaborate designs. You could wear it or avoid it completely. Whatever style you choose - a bindi or tilak is simply an expression of personal self and style.
I developed a gradual liking to it. No Indian outfit seemed complete without the bindi. I realized the environment and people around also influenced me. While in a city like Mumbai, wearing a bindi is entirely an individual’s choice and doesn’t matter either ways. And in my Bengaluru office, one of my male colleagues would greet me teasingly: “Where is your bindi today!” And I would touch my forehead and say, “It’s here.”
“Too small,” he would disapprove to my amusement.
I didn’t take any of these scenarios personally, simply opting to be regular with my favourite style of bindi. However, something in temples, vendors enthusiastically want to imprint a chandan lingam or a blazing tilak of sindoor, covering the forehead. I found that a bit too much for my taste, and always try to politely avoid this: May I have a small bindi instead, please?
Global footprint
We’re in elite company, part of a glorious legacy. The 5,500-year-old tradition of wearing a bindi or tilak has been a part of different societies, castes, communities, and sexes. From men in ancient India wearing a tilak called, visesakachhedya, often creating designs on their foreheads by painting cut leaves (called patralekha or patramanjari).
The travel of the bindi can be traced through eons and evidence is everywhere. From the grave Vasistha head, a bust of an old priest that dates back to the Indus Valley civilization to charming terracotta figurines excavated from Naushahro Feroze in present-day Pakistan. The latter display clear signs of kumkum in the parting of the hair, throwing light on this practice in 2800 BC.
The cosmic connection
The hiranyagarbha (cosmic womb) holds the five primordial elements of creation. The ancient scriptures say that the bindi or tilak is said to be the link of the cosmic womb with the microcosm of our body. The spot on the forehead where the bindi is kept represents the spot where the five senses meet. The bindi marks and protects that spot.
While the Indo-Greek culture shows evidence through the bindi on the forehead of the Aphrodite of bacteria, a reliquary gold set with rubies dating to 200 CE, depicts a lady in the namaskara position and also wearing a bindi. This gold set was found in present-day Afghanistan. Interestingly, Tang dynasty concubines are said to have used bindis occasionally, a practice which was taken by Hieun Tsang after his return from India.
The story behind the bindi, significance & all
Our ancients were wise - they understood how to devise paths to fulfill our life’s potential. And thus, they devised little ways to enable us on a daily basis. Recent studies in psychology and physiology speak about the presence of the pineal gland. This powerful gland in the brain falls in the region between the two eyebrows, behind the forehead. This gland produces the sleep hormone, (melatonin) and the ‘happiness’ hormone (serotonin). It follows that gentle stimulation of the pineal gland helps to regulate the generation of these hormones, and we live happily ever after!
An ode to our nothingness
According to ancient Indian thought, creation came from nothing, represented by a dot or bindu. It also believes that eventually this creation will dissolve and converge into a point of nothingness, nothing but a dot.
At a spiritual level, a bindi or tilak reminds us of nothingness, infinity. It serves as a reminder of the transient nature of life, urging us to conduct ourselves with good behavior, and achieving moksha (ultimate liberation).
Stimulating the pineal gland helps a person to remain focused, alert with all the senses heightened. Perhaps this explains why our grandmothers would put a tilak on our foreheads before an important exam, interview or event. Did they follow the examples set by so many kings and queens who would put a red dot or tilak on their foreheads before going to war?
Interestingly, the area between the eyebrows is called the ajna (command) chakra or the sixth chakra. It is the seat of wisdom and knowledge, which receives latent energy arising from the spine during meditation. The bindi is said to retain that energy.
The bindi is also known to improve health. It stimulates some key nerves that pass through the forehead.
| Nerve | Function | Stimulation causes |
| trigeminal | Largest of the cranial nerves, it is responsible for the sensation in our face | clears sinuses, keeps the facial skin young, helps to prevent depression and epilepsy |
| cochlear | a part of the inner ear | good hearing |
| supratrochlear | connected to all the muscles around the eye | improves vision and eye health |
The bindi also stimulates other nerves and blood vessels which help to relieve headaches, prevents insomnia, helps to get fitful sleep, boosts memory, concentration, creativity, and intuition.
Sounds almost too good to be true, isn’t it?
Even a red dot on the forehead has significance…
The Indian culture has attributed significance to the different styles of tilaks and the material used.
1. sandalwood paste - purity
The paste is known to cool the mind, attribute pleasantness and calm through its gentle scent. It also relieves headaches, helps one to focus better and stimulates attention.
2. red kumkum - courage
It is said to help circulate blood supply to the facial muscles, and boosts immunity.
3. turmeric - prosperity
The yellow turmeric has anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties. It helps to boost the immune system, especially in times of illness. Turmeric is important in festivals, as it signifies auspiciousness and prosperity.
4. vibhuti - divinity
Ash from pujas or havans (vibhuti) signifies a connection to the Divine, and serves as a reminder about the impermanence of all living things. Vibhuti also destroys the harmful bacteria on the face, cools the mind, and maintains good health.
Each style will have its own significance: a dot, a U-shape, three lines across the forehead. The beauty is that one size does not have to fit all.
A global family
Aa na bhadra katavo yanto vishwatah
Let noble thoughts come to us from every direction.
– Rig Veda
We are a global family with practices coming from different parts of the world. A famous singer could sport a bindi during a music performance or a person of a different country could fall in love with another language or cuisine. Yes, there is a debate about cultural appropriation. Are we talking down to a cultural practice if we use it differently? Does a Selena Gomez wearing a bindi during a rock concert demean its significance? Is our identity getting robbed somewhere when Miley Cyrus wears a rainbow stick-on in the parting of her hair to celebrate the LBGT community? Is it fashionable when Indian singer Usha Uthup wears the letter ‘K’ in Bengali script as a bindi, as an ode to her favorite city?
Perhaps there is no right, wrong here or any judgment. It simply depends on your choice and intention. What matters is that we are true to our identity and choose to afford it that respect, even if we prefer to express that identity differently. So, you could choose to wear an exclusively designed, one-of-a-kind bindi, a sparkling diamond one, a neon yellow or a red dot on the forehead….or nothing. Just like a little dot, we all know.
Written by Resha Patel
