Bindi on forehead! As old as tradition and as new as the times, the bindi has come of age. With a change in perceptions about beauty and adornment, the aboriginal Indian Bindiya, the symbol of inner shakti, the fabled red dot ‘kumkum’ that the women wore in the center of their forehead has now become a fashion statement.
In addition to the bindi, in India, a vermilion mark in the parting of the hair just above the forehead is worn by married women as a symbol of their married status. During North Indian marriage ceremonies, the groom applies sindoor on the parting in the bride's hair. Ancient Chinese women wore similar marks (for purely decorative purposes) since the second century, which became popular during the Tang Dynasty.
