The Beauty of Bindis
Bindi seems to be a fad among many Western superstars, which is believed to make them all exotic and mystical. Picture Gwen Stefani, Fergie, Shakira, Christina Aguilera and Madonna with those little designs on the middle of their foreheads. Yes, bindi has been creating a storm in the western world,thanks to its exotic and perennial beauty.
This traditional adornment is usually simple and inexpensive. Its effect is breathtaking. While bindi started as traditional marriage symbol, it is used by Indians of all ages. Pronounced as “Bin Dee”(which means “drop“ or “dot”), Hindi originated from the Sanskrit dialect. In tradition, bindi is a red dot applied onto the center of the forehead, close to the inner edges of the eyebrows. In the modern age, bindi has become a piece of jewellery.]
Bindi has several alternative names namely pottu (Tamil and Malayalam), tilak (Hindi), bottu or tilakam (Telugu and Kannada) and teep (Benggali). The practice of dotting the middle of the forehead with a bindi is Vedic tradition that women follows as a confirmation to the embracement of womanhood.
In India, bindi represents two important facets of the society. The first aspect is closely related to Hinduism. Spiritually, the Hindus believe that the bindi symbolizes the mystical third eye which is the central point of the base of creation, indicating good omen and the inner sakthi. The centre of the forehead is also believed to be the sixth chakra, the seat of the concealed wisdom. A red dot made from vermilion or the tikka powder is usually dotted on the foreheads of men, women and children to symbolize this.
In North India, however, the red powder is called and is traditionally made from fresh lime and turmeric juice. Many Hindus dot the middle of their foreheads with a pottu or bindi to distinguish themselves as Hindus. Today, bindis are also worn by unmarried women and non-Hindu children.
The second facet which represents the bindi carries a historical and cultural significance. As a social symbol, the bindi is often found on the foreheads of married Indian women, indicating their married status. This is quite similar to the Western wedding band. It is a dot of perfect purify associated with marriage and feminist.
The colour red is believed to bring good fortune into the new home of the bride. It also denotes that as a wife, she is the preserver of the family’s honour, pride and dignity. A vermillion mark in the parting of the hair just above the forehead is also worn by married Northern Indian Women as a symbol of their married status. Believe it or not, during the Tang Dynasty, Chinese women wore similar marks for purely decorative purposes.
Black bindis are usually worn by babies and children to ward off the evil eye. Today, the bindi collection has various designs and colours, complementing Indian clothes like sarees, lehenggas, kutra and salwar kameez.
Bindi certainly represents various moods and can be found in many forms, colours, materials and sizes such as crystal bindis, eyelash bindis, tikka bindis, bridal bindis, nail bindis, and the list goes on. For that extra dazzle, some are even embedded with beads, sequins, and tine stones.
As opposed to the traditional way of wearing the bindi, the modern ones come with sticker backs that allow secure placements.
More than just a religious significance, bindi has also become a fashion statement among the general public and glamorous stars including Goldie Hawn and Spice Girls.
It’s an extra glow to one’s face exudes charm and sensuality of a women.
Mehndi
A traditional Indian wedding is an elaborate affair with grand rituals proceeding the actual day of wedding. An Indian wedding involves three days of the celebration starting with mehndi ceremony. On the day of the Mehndi party, the Mehndi a natural dye is applied on the hands and feet of the bride in beautiful intricate patterns of designs.
Mehndi is associated with health, beauty, wealth, joy and celebration has made it a fashion statement in the female domain throughout history, and to mark the important transitions in a woman’s life- puberty, marriage, pregnancy and childbirth. It cools the body, calms the nerves, acts as a sun block, conditions the skin, beautifies the person, and is considered to bring wealth, health and happiness to the wearer.
Source: Indian Wedding Photographers
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