The bindi is arguably the most visually fascinating of all forms of body decoration. Hindus attach great importance to this ornamental mark on the forehead between the two eyebrows -- a spot considered a major nerve point in human body since ancient times. Also loosely known as 'tika', 'pottu', 'sindoor', 'tilak', 'tilakam', and 'kumkum', a bindi is usually a small or a big eye-catching round mark made on the forehead as adornment.
No one knows exactly when the tradition of putting a bindi started, but since centuries it is seen on the foreheads of Hindu women.
In southern India, girls choose to wear a bindi, while in other parts of India it is the prerogative of the married woman.
A red dot on the forehead is an auspicious sign of marriage and guarantees the social status and sanctity of the institution of marriage. The Indian bride steps over the threshold of her husband's home, bedecked in glittering apparels and ornaments, dazzling the red bindi on her forehead that is believed to usher in prosperity, and grants her a place as the guardian of the family's welfare.
However, today the religious significance of the bindi is largely forgotten and it is worn as a fashion accessory. In the market today we see bindis of different hues and shapes ranging from the simple to the most decorative.
Bindis have become a fascination with many for their attractive features.
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