Bindi customs

[Kapalika]

What kind and or colors of Bindi can an unmarried Hindu woman wear? Do married women always wear a red one?

What are some important differences between various sects or regions? What are some universal or almost universal rules?

If an unmarried convert is white and living in America (me) what would be some good do's and don't even if it's technically allowed but not so common? I read unmarried Hindu women now days can wear most colors even black, is this true? I also read black is worn by widows in some areas.

I have done research on this but I want to back it up / check to see if it's true with hearing from others as well.

 

[Vinayaka]

Wear red, it's safe all around. If you're goin' all fancy to a wedding or some other event, you can wear one that matches the sari or suit.

 

[Viraja]

'metti' is a toe-ring, worn in the prominent toe right after the big toe, in both the feet. Typically only married women wear this.

There are some minor customs and traditions but that which even someone unmarried can do. Like, wearing a dozen bangles... conveys someone is pregnant in some customs, but many unmarried girls wear those these days for fashion. If you are married, look very traditional in sari that covers your head, (as in a temple) and wear numerous bangles, especially red ones, people might think you are pregnant.

White and White in olden days signified widows. Not anymore.

 

[Valjean]

In most urban areas today, I think it's more a fashion accessory than anything else. Just buy a sheet of stick-ons to match what you're wearing.

 

[Jainarayan]

In most urban areas today, I think it's more a fashion accessory than anything else. Just buy a sheet of stick-ons to match what you're wearing.

A coworker from years ago did that. Her bindi was the same color as her outfit of the day.

I guess it's the Indian woman's answer to 40 different handbags and pairs of shoes to match the outfit.

 

[ajay0]

The Prajapita Brahmakumaris state that the median point between the eyebrows is the position of the soul.

Krishna tells in the Gita that the yogi should focus his attention on the tip of his nose, meaning the median point between the eyebrows.

It is said that focussing one's attention on this median point is a spiritual austerity that enables expansion of consciousness.

It is possibly due to this that tilaks, bindis or Vibhuti are placed on this median point between the eyebrows to focus attention on this point.

But nowadays, it has become more of a fashion statement. Still, for some, a perfectly placed bindi is quite attractive and adds to the looks.

 

[Jainarayan]

meaning the median point between the eyebrows.

I'm glad you said that, because for the longest time I've had the rather giggle-worthy image of staring at the tip of my nose cross-eyed while meditating.

 

[ajay0]

I'm glad you said that, because for the longest time I've had the rather giggle-worthy image of staring at the tip of my nose cross-eyed while meditating.

Yeah, this is an error most people make, forgetting that the median point between the eyebrows also qualifies as the tip of the nose.

Sri Yukteshwar, Yogananda's Guru, elaborated on this error in Yogananda's book, 'Autobiography of a Yogi'.

 

[Devaki]

I wear a simple black bindi, medium size, almost always.
The woman I bought it from asked me "red or black?" , those were the only options.
I have also worn ones to match my outfit in the past, but due to lack of availability of colourful ones, I decided to stick with the black ones. The Hindu community here is mostly Tamil-speaking and I assume that the "black for unmarried girls" thing is more of a Southern thing, whereas the "black signifies widowed" thing might be more common in other parts of the subcontinent. I have anyway never been mistaken for a widow thus far

 

[Valjean]

A coworker from years ago did that. Her bindi was the same color as her outfit of the day.

I guess it's the Indian woman's answer to 40 different handbags and pairs of shoes to match the outfit.

Not to mention a heck of a lot cheaper! Stick on bindi | Etsy

 

[Aupmanyav]

I guess it's the Indian woman's answer to 40 different handbags and pairs of shoes to match the outfit.

But she has have to have 40 saris from every region of India with matching blouse and petticoat, and chappals of course; the Banarasi silk with gold and silver work (Zari) occupying the pride of place. So much so that my clothes are pushed to one side and in addition to her wardrobe, her clothes occupy half of my wardrobe.

 

[Aupmanyav]

What kind and or colors of Bindi can an unmarried Hindu woman wear? Do married women always wear a red one?

What are some important differences between various sects or regions? What are some universal or almost universal rules?

If an unmarried convert is white and living in America (me) what would be some good do's and don't even if it's technically allowed but not so common? I read unmarried Hindu women now days can wear most colors even black, is this true? I also read black is worn by widows in some areas.

I have done research on this but I want to back it up / check to see if it's true with hearing from others as well.

Any color (no compulsion on her), so also for the married woman (now-a-days), otherwise the traditional color is red, vermillion or a plastic one now a days. There are fancy bindis with embedded crystals but they were not for a respectable Hindu house-wife, too showy.
Bindi is generally a thing of North India. The south Indian women will have a tilak after the worship of her chosen deity. My guess, I may be wrong.
In Rajasthan, widows used to wear dark brown or dark blue saris. White among the educated middle class people people. Black more in the villages of UP, Bihar.
Now a days, any color will do, but if the sari color is black, it is usually lightened by flower prints or a colorful border.
Black sari at DuckDuckGo, black shalwar kmeez at DuckDuckGo
For a white woman, any color, sari or shalwar-kameez (with or without dupatta) and not stark black. Black has to be lightened in some way.

 

[Vinayaka]

But she has have to have 40 saris from every region of India with matching blouse and petticoat, and chappals of course; the Banarasi silk with gold and silver work (Zari) occupying the pride of place. So much so that my clothes are pushed to one side and in addition to her wardrobe, her clothes occupy half of my wardrobe.

Only 40?

 

[Kapalika]

Well now I wanna wear a black Sari seeing those.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Only 40?

No. More are stuffed in suitcases that we have put in the store. She had been buying nice cheap saris all the time from itinerant sellers (her choice is normally very good as to design and material). But our daughter-in-law in not interested in saris. Punjabi girl. So, it is either salvar/kameez or jeans, though a sari suits her fat figure much better. I do not know what my wife will do with the saris and when? We are not getting any younger.

 

[Vinayaka]

No. More are stuffed in suitcases that we have put in the store. She had been buying nice cheap saris all the time from itinerant sellers (her choice is normally very good as to design and material). But our daughter-in-law in not interested in saris. Punjabi girl. So, it is either salvar/kameez or jeans, though a sari suits her fat figure much better. I do not know what my wife will do with the saris and when? We are not getting any younger.

It's a problem for a lot of folks. Here in the west the daughters rarely wear saris. Boss limits her buying these days too.

 

[Shantanu]

In most urban areas today, I think it's more a fashion accessory than anything else. Just buy a sheet of stick-ons to match what you're wearing.

It is the first time that I have heard bindi being a fashion accessory. Do you know about Hindu sentiments?

 

[Valjean]

It is the first time that I have heard bindi being a fashion accessory. Do you know about Hindu sentiments?

https://www.etsy.com/market/stick_on_bindi

 

[Shantanu]

https://www.etsy.com/market/stick_on_bindi

It is unfortunate that a religious symbol is misused in this manner. Bindi denotes marriage by a woman wearing it so as to keep others from approaching her.

 

[Kapalika]

It is unfortunate that a religious symbol is misused in this manner. Bindi denotes marriage by a woman wearing it so as to keep others from approaching her.

If only men could be respectful and not approach strangers to ask their hand in marriage!