e. What is the red dot many Hindu women wear on their forehead?

The red dot is called a bindi. The bindi can be in different colors and shapes. Here are a few reasons for wearing a bindi:

• The bindi is associated with the worship of the Ultimate Reality as the feminine divine.
• It is also indicative of the conceptual “third eye of spiritual wisdom”, as Shiva, the greatest of Yogis, is depicted as having. 
• It is regarded to be the symbol of being a Hindu woman. A married Hindu woman puts a bindi along with vermillion (sindoor) on her forehead.
• It is believed to restore concentration of the mind. Hindus think of the midpoint of the forehead between the eyebrows as the zone of wisdom.
• It is a beauty mark during festivals or rituals such as the Holi and wedding ceremony.
• The male version of forehead markings is called a tilak and can be made of kumkum, sandalwood or sacred ash. It is applied in a variety of shapes including lines, U-shapes and dots. The tilak is a representation of the school of philosophy and divinity that an individual subscribes to..

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Other reading material: Short answers to real questions about Hinduism, Sharma, S, 2013, Hinduism for Kids: Beliefs and Practices

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Contributor: Monita Sharma