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Today's subject is about a different type of jewelry. The origins and the meaning behind it. I’m
going to try to see if I can bring some light to this beautiful and exotic piece of jewelry... so bear with me.
This is a fascinating subject, and so much to cover…
One of the pieces of jewelry that has always captivated me is the Bindi... Some people would class this in with religious jewelry or prayer jewelry, since it is so deeply ingrained in the Hindu religion, however, many women wear it without the religious connotations.
If you are familiar with mandalas, you will
know that there is a point, a dot where the mandala starts, this is the same as
the bindi, or bindu… the center of existence…
The Bindi, if not stuck on the forehead with adhesive, is worn with a headpiece called a "maang tikka", it is worn at wedding ceremonies and at formal occasions.
The headpiece will usually be made from a single ornament with strings on either side. These strings normaly have hooks on the ends of them that allow them to be held up on the hair. Sometimes a tikka headpiece will be focused on a large, heavy jewel; other times they are light and delicate.
The name “maang tikka” is derived from the literal pieces of the design; the tikka rests on the forehead, while maang refers to the part in the hair where the string is held. The various designs and formations of the headpiece jewelry can be purely cosmetic, or can be specifically designed to hold religious and spiritual significance, such as the Bindi.
Bindi. No, not the famous daughter of the Alligator wrangler, but the jewelry worn by women in Hindu communities.
 |
| Courtesan Bani Thani as Radha with
ornamental bindi spangle and maang tikka. ca. 1750 |
This is a fascinating subject, and so much to cover…
One of the pieces of jewelry that has always captivated me is the Bindi... Some people would class this in with religious jewelry or prayer jewelry, since it is so deeply ingrained in the Hindu religion, however, many women wear it without the religious connotations.
Bindis
are what most people know as simply the red dot women in India wear. However, women in other countries wear this symbol…and, it goes a bit deeper
than just the red dot. There is more meaning behind that little circle of
vermillion that people don’t know or really don’t understand.And there is controversy over non-Hindu women wearing the symbol...
The Bindi (the word
comes from the Sanskrit word, bindu),
is normally a dot in the middle of the forehead, close to the eyebrows that symbolizes the point at which creation begins or the third eye Chakra or the ajna, or sixth primary chakra, is believed to be in the center of a person’s forehead. In these traditions, the sixth chakra is imagined as being a union of two petals, presided over by the androgynous form of the deities Shiva and Parvati.
This makes it a symbol of perfect union,
without imbalance or compromise. By extension, forehead jewelry is a
representation of this symbolism, where the ornament decorating the
headpiece is a physical symbol of the ajna chakra, and the union that it
represents.… It represents the universe. The word
comes from the Sanskrit word, bindu.
is normally a dot in the middle of the forehead, close to the eyebrows that symbolizes the point at which creation begins or the third eye Chakra or the ajna, or sixth primary chakra, is believed to be in the center of a person’s forehead. In these traditions, the sixth chakra is imagined as being a union of two petals, presided over by the androgynous form of the deities Shiva and Parvati.
 |
| from Indiabazaar.net |
The
point where the bindi is placed is thought to be the seat of concealed wisdom…
The origins of the Bindi is thought to have
come from the Vedic times, created as an aid to worship of one’s own intellect
The Vedic period was the time around
1500-500BC when the earliest of the Hindu scriptures are thought to have been
written. Ancient and mystical, this period is when the religions of India and
the whole region were developed. The Aryans came into the region bringing their
beliefs which were melded into the
Women have traditionally worn the bindi, to
symbolize their ------- but for many, especially for those that are wealthy, a
piece of jewelry that is worn on the forhead to symbolize this center, the
place where all things start.
If you are familiar with mandalas, you will
know that there is a point, a dot where the mandala starts, this is the same as
the bindi, or bindu… the center of existence…
I found this to be very interesting… the
connotations that we hold the very beginning within our own mind, the starting
and all the knowledge therein…
I think my fascination began with those old
movies… where the beautiful woman wore the jewel in her nose and the bindi on
her forehead… When I was a kid, I tried to put a rhinestone on my nose, it didn’t
work so well, the back point of the pavillion rhinestone hurt… so I put it in my nostril.
Needless to say, that didn’t work so well
either. I ended up at the doctor needing extraction of said rhinestone!
But that fascination stayed with me. I love to see old movies and new, such as Bride and Prejudice (not quite new, it was released in 2004), where women wear the extraordinary jewelry.
But that fascination stayed with me. I love to see old movies and new, such as Bride and Prejudice (not quite new, it was released in 2004), where women wear the extraordinary jewelry.
The Bindi, if not stuck on the forehead with adhesive, is worn with a headpiece called a "maang tikka", it is worn at wedding ceremonies and at formal occasions.
The headpiece will usually be made from a single ornament with strings on either side. These strings normaly have hooks on the ends of them that allow them to be held up on the hair. Sometimes a tikka headpiece will be focused on a large, heavy jewel; other times they are light and delicate.
The name “maang tikka” is derived from the literal pieces of the design; the tikka rests on the forehead, while maang refers to the part in the hair where the string is held. The various designs and formations of the headpiece jewelry can be purely cosmetic, or can be specifically designed to hold religious and spiritual significance, such as the Bindi.
Recently, and probably for a long time,
there have been celebrities wearing bindi while on tours or simply as a
statement. Some people complain about wearing a religious symbol when the
person is not of that religion… They say it is appropriation.
However… many women in predominantly Hindu
countries wear the symbol without religious significance… So… What is right? Wearing a cross when you are not Christian is
the same… Wearing a bear
paw necklace or other ethnic type of jewelry… the jewelry has meaning for one and not for another…
What are your views?
Some interesting pictures, videos and shopping:
Bride and Prejudice (2004) Available on Amazon.com
1941 movie Sikandar – A movie set in the
time of Alexander the Great conquering Persia…Features
some really magnificent jewelry. Great representations of necklaces, armlets,
bracelets, crowns, breastplates, @ 33:01 is the very lovely Bindi, she also has
on some great earrings, bracelets, necklace and rings… and again @ 37:50 a
scene with some really great bindi and other jewelry. Another Bindi a great tiara, armlet, bracelets and rings are
at 1:17:47
Also at 46:32 there is a wonderful example of
a man wearing a symbol on his forehead. The necklace on the woman is
magnificent as is the brooch that holds the cloak on the man… also notice the “friendship
bracelets” that the women are tying onto the men’s wrists. Also notice that the men are wearing
necklaces, bracelets, earrings.
The sets on this movie are amazing, very
elaborate… some early rap music J
at 1:02:42 and some epic battle scenes! Great movie to watch!
A few examples in The Drum 1939
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XRxWs0XZOk
Indiabazaar.net has some fun examples
of bindi.
other blogs or sites to visit:
How to set a Tikka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rd3T-nA6Zk
Bridal makeup/hair/jewelry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuEEwRvuu0A
A really cool Sikh wedding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNCJUdJXEKI
http://rajeshcmehta.blogspot.in/2013/04/spiritual-meaning-of-mangal-sutra-bindi.html
other blogs or sites to visit:
How to set a Tikka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rd3T-nA6Zk
Bridal makeup/hair/jewelry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuEEwRvuu0A
A really cool Sikh wedding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNCJUdJXEKI
http://rajeshcmehta.blogspot.in/2013/04/spiritual-meaning-of-mangal-sutra-bindi.html
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