Bindis

ALL ABOUT THE BINDI

A Bindi is a divine disc-shaped dot of vivid color applied in the center of the forehead that is prominently worn in the Indian subcontinent. The original Bindi is made out of vermilion, sandalwood, ash, and turmeric. The Bindi encapsulates natural ingredients and vibrant shades of red. In contemporary times, Bindis are replaced with stickers. Mostly people wear a diamond sticker, replacing our traditional methods. However, there is more to a Bindi. Other than the fact that they are arresting, and people often wear them as an accessory, Bindis have a scientific reason behind wearing them.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND WEARING A BINDI

Since the horse and buggy days, the spot where the gorgeous red Bindi is applied between the eyebrows is considered to be a significant nerve point in the human body. The rishi-muni (sages) back then wrote the Vedas (which are religious texts and scriptures originating from Ancient India). In these they have mentioned the chakras. Seven main chakras run along the center of the body, and if you look at the image, the sixth one from the bottom is called the ‘Ajna Chakra’ which is the third-eye Chakra. While applying a Bindi, the points on the mid-brow region and Ajna-chakra are automatically pressed, which helps in facilitating blood supply to the facial muscles. The Bindi allows us to open our third eye and enables us to look at the world in an unprejudiced way. It also enlivens and energizes the one who wears it. Moreover, maintaining concentration is a Bindi’s fortes. 

Take a look at this picture of international star Selena Gomez rocking a modern-day Bindi!

In other parts of India, a Bindi is known as:

Phot or Phut (literally meaning a small pressing mark) in Assamese.

Tip (means "a pressing") in Bengali

Chandlo (means a “moon shape”) in Gujarati.

Tika in Nepali

Kunkuma or Bottu or Tilaka in Kannada

Kunkoo or Tikali in Marathi

Tikili in Odia

Bindi in Punjabi (meaning long red mark)

Pottu or Kunkumam or Tilakam in Tamil and 

Malayalam

Bottu, Kunkuma, or Tilakam in Telugu

Tyok in Kashmiri