THE VANISHING BINDI

It’s only recently that I have taken to wearing Bindi and considering that we live in a country where women have been putting Bindi for generations, it feels odd to make that statement.I t’s actually amusing to notice people reaction and prejudice to wearing a dot on your head these days, especially in North India. 

Incidentally, where I live I used to wear it only on family gatherings and festivals and weddings. And though I was never questioned or forced for wearing a Bindi in my family, it made me wonder that all these years I have seen my mother wear Bindi everyday and somehow I don't wear it.. why?

Bindi, I feel has become more of a fashion statement these days rather than being a part of daily attire as in my mothers generation. And Bollywood has a great role to play in it, considering I grew up watching films like DDLJ, or Kuch Kuch Hota Hai or Yes Boss etc. shot mostly in foreign countries portraying the modern and progressive women of India that I would idolize..  

Seldom we see Leading ladies in movies wearing a Bindi. So I think its fair to say that the main reason why I would wear a Bindi only on Traditional festivals or some wedding is because I grew up watching Bollywood and I wanted to identify myself with modern, strong and progressive women of our country.Usually I would also see my aunts and mother’s friends wearing it regularly while going to school, on holidays in house, social gatherings, traditional puja and family functions. It’s a part of my their life, like her make up & food. 

It got me thinking of the absence of Bindi in my daily life.. in our generation and the coming generations.But Wait! so does that mean that my mother is not progressive or educated enough? I don't think so. We have started generalising Bindi with not just traditional wear but outdated attitudes and narrow mindsets which might not be true.

Contrary to this so called "urbanized mindset" these days I see women who are strong from inside continue to wear a Bindi, those who are equally progressive and modern in their thinking.

After much observation of this trend, I finally decided to google "Bindi". It defines it as “a decorative mark worn in the middle of the forehead by Indian women, especially Hindus. "

"A Bindi (Hindi: बिंदी, comes from from Sanskrit bindu, meaning "a drop, small particle, dot.” Just two lines cannot really explain an age old tradition? Can it?  So I decided dig little deeper and found out that people have been wearing Bindis since ancient times in India. However they used different substances on their forehead like Chandan (sandalwood), Haldi (turmeric),  Kum Kum (Vermillion) and Bhasma (Ashes)


Spiritually, if I look at it then Bindi played an important role in the life of Hindus. Every morning after bath and prayer of the absolute truth, as a person would leave for work from home, to make them  remember their prayer, they were expected to put some mark on their forehead and thus “Bindi” or “Tilak” came into existence. It is also activates the “Ajna Chakra” which is the seat of awareness and ego. It is way to see the whole universe is one. 

In ancient days, there were different colours worn on different occasions. People in ancient India used to wear Bindi as per their caste in olden days. The “Brahmins” or the priests or academicians used to wear tilak made of sandalwood signifying purity.  The “Kshatriyas” who were basically kings, soldiers and administrators used to wear Red Tilak to signify valour. The “Vasihayas” who were basically Businessmen wore  Yellow Tilak to signify prosperity 

The “Shudras” or the Service class used to apply Tilak made of bhasma or black Tilak signifying their service to the other classes. It was also considered that wearing a black Bindi would ward off the evil eye. Hence, young unmarried girls also wore black Bindi’s those days.

It is considered auspicious for the Bride to wear Red Kum kum  (Vermillion) Bindi on her forehead. Apparently this belief hasn't been distorted much except for the fact that now days women like to wear plastic or glue Bindis which are artificial and not organic in nature. This makes Bindi more of an accessory without any meaning or reason. The very thought that compelled me to think & write this article. 

From a health point of view, if we look at the substances that were used for applying Bindi in ancient days were Chandan (sandalwood), Haldi (turmeric),  Kum Kum (Vermillion) and Bhasma (Ashes). These have a cooling effect on our body when applied in between the eye brows, it activates the Pineal Gland situated their. Pineal Gland is the master gland that controls all other glands and vital functions in our body. Our Rishis Munis were scientists who knew knew all the benefits of applying Bindi or Tilak and this makes putting a tilak or Bindi in between eyebrows not just a mere fashion statement but a way to keep ourselves healthy.

It is also a reminder of our deep connection with everyone on this planet, of the One Consciousness, of the Universal Truth, of Advaita. Wearing Bindi has always been a part of our Hindu culture and has so much history and deep meaning behind it that I am sure many of our generation doesn't even know. For the West, it might just be a dot on the forehead, an accessory to make a statement but for Indians it will always be more than that. Today I Hope we realise the importance of wearing it without reducing its status to a mere accessory. 

Copyright @ Kannu Priya