The word “bindi” comes from the Sanskrit word “bindu”, or drop. Bindis are placed on the forehead, between the eyes. This area between the eyes is said to hold a very special significance; it marks the sixth chakra, the Ajna, which is believed to control various levels of concentration while meditating. This is also known as the spiritual eye or Third eye.

In ancient Indian evening dress, forehead decoration also included pasting thin leaves cut into different shapes and pasted to the forehead, chin, ears, and other body parts.

In some parts of India, the bindi is a sign of marriage, like wedding bands in western culture. The traditional red bindi is often made with tikka powder, kum kum, or vermillion (also called sindura or sindoor). The color red was chosen because it was supposed to bring good fortune into the home of the bride. Red also is associated with the ancient practice of offering blood sacrifices to appease the Gods and marks the bride as the preserver of the family’s honor and welfare. If an Indian woman became a widow, she stops wearing the bindi. Also, if there is death in the family, a woman’s face sans bindi signifies her family is in mourning.

Hindu women wear a red dot, while Hindu men wear an elongated dot. Men’s bindis are worn for traditional ceremonies; the groom’s wedding gear is simply not complete without the bindi.

Kum kum and vermillion upon the forehead are also used for spiritual purposes. Their use has been mentioned in various ancient religious texts. Radha, the consort of Krishna, transformed the kum kum on her forehead into a flamelike design. Draupadi, the courageous queen devoted to Krishna, wiped her kum kum off in despair and disillusion at Hastinapur.

As a good omen, vermillion is placed in temples or during celebrations along with turmeric (its yellow color is symbolic for intellect) especially in temples dedicated to Shakti, Lakshmi and Vishnu. When visiting a temple, it is common for the priest apply kum kum to the people’s foreheads after puja, a sacred ceremonial rite. During Hindu death rituals, the dead are anointed with sandalwood and kum kum.

Bindis are easy to apply; they come with adhesive on the back that can be re-used. If your bindi(s) loses its stickiness, a drop of eyelash glue or spirit gum will do the trick. Today, many folks coordinate their bindi color with their outfits.