Everything You Should Know About Bindis
An intriguing forehead
bindi decoration for women
Bindi is definitely one of the most visually fascinating forms of body decoration.
This ornamental mark is usually worn on the forehead between the eyebrows since that spot is considered to
be a major nerve point in human body. It can be just painted or worn as jewellery on the forehead.
Bindi literally means "dot" or "point", which is derived from the word "Bindu" in
Sanskrit. It's usually painted as a dot on the forehead, although it can be
also done as horizontal or vertical lines, in different colours. It used to be worn only by married women, or for
religious purposes, but it's now become a fashion accessory or a
symbol.
Still, there’s much more to it than just grabbing the first bindi you find and
placing it on your forehead. If you’ve decided to wear a bindi, make sure you
keep reading in order to find answers to all of your questions about this intriguing body decoration, worn as
forehead jewelry.
Although it's been popular among Hindu women in South Asian countries on Indian
sub-continent, the practice and appeal of this decoration has gradully spread to other parts of the
world.
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As a red dot on forehead, bindi decoration is
traditionally worn
by Hindu and Jain women. |
How to Apply a Bindi?

Bindis come in different shapes, worn as forehead
jewelry. |
Bindis are actually quite easy to apply and all you need is a little bit of
practice. Bindis have sticker-like backs which means all you have to do is stick it between your
eyebrows.
Even if you don’t get it right the first time, (unlike
jewelry) you can easily peel it off and try to apply it once
again.
When it comes to the positioning of your bindi, there’s really no correct way to
do it. It’s up to you to find a place for your bindi you feel most comfortable with.
Can Bindis Be Reused?
If you find a bindi you really like, you’ll probably want to use it again. The
good news is - bindis can be reused. Some of them might have great holding power, which means you’ll be able to
stick it securely several times. More commonly, the natural oils from your face will remove the sticky background
of your bindi and cause it to fall off. In this case, you’ll have to use glue in order to be able to wear it once
again. Luckily, today there are many types of glue that are safe and gentle enough for skin.
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Modern bindis can be worn as forehead jewelry
decoration |
Can Bindis Be Worn Somewhere Else?

Bindi can be combined with other forehead and head
jewelry, for more effect. |
90% of frequent bindi wearers choose to place their bindis between their eyebrows.
But there are also some other spots on your body that might just be perfect for a bindi.
Eye bindis are something that’s becoming more and more popular. These are usually
placed in the corners of the both eyes.
If you can have your bindis specially created, you can also make some for your
nose and nails. A bindi can be a great alternative for belly button piercing as well.
What Does a Red Dot Represent?
In southern India, girls can
choose whether they want to wear a bindi but in other parts of India, wearing a bindi is the prerogative of all
married women. A red dot between the eyebrows is an auspicious sign of marriage. It’s also used to show true
love and prosperity.
In some parts of India, the bride has to step over her husband’s threshold while
wearing a red bindi that will grant her a place as the guardian of the family's progeny and welfare.
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Classical ornamental forehead mark is worn between the
eyebrows,
which is considered to be a major nerve point. |
Where to Buy a Bindi?
Unfortunately, hardly any big store keeps a large variety of Bindis. Even if you
do manage to find bindis in supermarkets, most of these will probably be old-fashioned and old stock. That’s why
the best option is to buy bindis online. There are many online stores in USA and Canada that you can find bindis
at.
If you live in Australia, you can also buy bindis online. Most of
these online stores offer you trendy and popular bindis which might just be what you were looking
for.
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With some imagination and right bindi jewelry, you can
come up
with clever and creative ways of decorating your
forehead. |
If you’re fascinated by this beautiful body decoration, there’s no reason why you
shouldn’t get some bindis for yourself. Even though it started as a Hindu marriage tradition, wearing a bindi is
today open for anyone, no matter what your age and background is.
All above images courtesy of Creative
Commons
Author:
A guest post by Diana Smith, a full-time mom and freelance
writer.
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