Some Very and Some Not So Very Useful Sites

April 13, 2007

Bindi / Tilak - Significant part of Indian culture

bindi-tikka

Tika or Bindi applied between eyebrows on the forehead by Hindu women is believed to be a symbol of Parvati -- the Shakti(Power) and signifies female energy that can protect them and their spouse from every evil.

It is also believed that pressing the point between the eyebrows (Bhrumadhya) keeps away cold, cough headache, fatigue. Hence while applying Bindi, ladies would press Bhrumadhya to be physically fit. However, these days women use sticker bindis instead of kumkum powder that doesn’t give the above benefit.

Tilak that the hindu men apply on their forehead represents auspiciousness. It can be made of sandal paste (chandan), sacred ashes (Vibhuti) or red tumeric (kumkum). The devotees of Shiva apply sacred ashes on the forehead, the devotees of Vishnu apply sandal paste (Chandan), and the worshippers of Devi or Shakti apply Kumkum, a red tumeric powder.

In ancient India, Tilak was applied according to the occupation of the person; Brahman applied Chandan (sandal paste), Kshatriya Kumkum, Vaishya yellow kesar or turmeric and Shudra black bhasma, kasturi or charcoal powder Tilak.

The space between the two eyebrows is the Ajna Chakra, Sandal paste comes with great medicinal value, apart from acting as a cooling agent it is spiritually beneficial. Chandan reduces body heat when applied at the Bhrumadhya.

Lord Siva's third eye is located at his Brumadhya and it is believed when open it can destroy the whole universe. Similarly, when the third eye of the soul opens it is capable of destroying physical, mental and spiritual (Adhyatmika, Adhidaivika and Adhibhautika) sufferings.

Our endless sins alongwith our three Karmas Sanchita (accumulated works), Prarabdha (Productive works) Agami (current works) are destroyed after concentrating on Bhrumadhya after applying tilak. While applying Tilak and beginning to meditate, one should pray this exercise will help them come closer to the unknown, unseen truth.

4 comments:

Me said...

Hi Sachana,

Couldn't find a comment link under history, so posting here......

You are right history repeats itself. They keep trying to conquor us, and they keep loosing. :-)................

I think if we look very carefully at our culture we will see that we have left our entire life to fate. Which means that we are not bothered about anything. That which has to happen will happen. And seeing our present position I feel that we have not lost anything. We live happily with whatever we have. We don't feel discontented and so we don't feel the need to rob someone else. And the people who do come to rob us, are finally destroyed by themselves. Alexander, the Ottoman empire, etc etc....... till the east india company and the British Empire.........

So I guess India has the 'bindi' on. The material world does not exist for her. :-)..................

The ads....... Ohhhhhh, I still love that old old Videocon advertisement. "It washes, it rinses, it even dries the clothes, Videocon Washing Machine......." And the present day VIP suitcase ad, the tata safari ad of old(guess thats the engine inside me working ;-)....) with crossing the mountain stream and all...., oh, that motorazor ad, that was real cool.........

I watch so less tv now. No tv at all in my house.... And once in a while when I do see it from somewhere, the ads are always new. Don't know how, when I was small, ads used to run for years. Now they are gone in 6 months.......

Beautiful blog........
Please keep writing.........

Me said...

Hi Sachana,

Do you know that your site doesn't have an RSS feeder? Normally all blogspot sites have one(Atom). Have you purposefully removed it? Without that how would people who are interested in your blog know when you post a new article?

Could you please do something about it?

I would definitely like to read when you post a new story. If you have some reasons for not having rss, I would really appreciate if you could tell me when you do post.

Thank You......

I-m-me said...

Hi... I have been working on the RSS feature and now its in place... thanks for ur interest.

Unknown said...

Hi Sachu,
Article is very nice...
The Facts dat i never heard b4. Seems like lots of R&D has been done on this...