200px
In
HinduismHinduism is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as ', a Sanskrit phrase meaning "the eternal law", by its adherents. Generic "types" of Hinduism that attempt to accommodate a variety of complex views span folk and Vedic Hinduism to bhakti tradition, as...
, the
tilaka or
tilak is a mark worn on the forehead and other parts of the body, not to be confused with a
bindiA bindi is a forehead decoration worn in South Asia and Southeast Asia, not to be confused with a tilaka...
. Tilaka may be worn on a daily basis or for special religious occasions only, depending on different customs.
Significance of tilaka
The tilaka symbolize the third eye, or mind's eye, that is associated with many hindu Gods and the idea of meditation and spiritual enlightenment. In the past, tilakas were usually worn by Gods, priests, ascetics, or worshippers, but is now a common practice for most Hindus. It can express which Hindu tradition he follows. It may be made with
sandalwoodSandalwood is the name of different fragrant woods. These woods are yielded by the tree Santalum and Santalaceae, which are often used for the essential oil it contains. These trees are heavy and yellow in color as well as fine-grained...
paste, ashes (
vibhutiVibhuti is a word that has several meanings in Hinduism. The word is found in other Indian languages in addition to Sanskrit.-Sacred ash:...
),
kumkumKumkum - is a powder used for social and religious markings in Hinduism. It is either made from turmeric or saffron. The turmeric is dried and powdered with a bit of slaked lime, which turns the rich yellow powder into a red color.The kumkum is an auspicious symbol...
, sindhoor, clay, or other substances. The pastes are applied to the forehead and in some cases to the upper part of the head.
History and Evolution of the Tilak
The tilak is a mark created by the smearing of powder or paste on the forehead. Occasionally it extends vertically and horizontally on a large part of the forehead and may cover the nose also. The most conspicuous and widespread are those worn by Vaishnavites or followers of Lord
VishnuVishnu , , is the Supreme God in Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God...
and his incarnations, chiefly Lord
KrishnaKrishna is a deity worshipped across many traditions in Hinduism in a variety of perspectives...
. The tilak consists of a long line starting from just below the hairline till almost the end of one's nose tip. It is intercepted in the middle by an elongated U. There may be two marks on the temples as well. This tilak is traditionally done with sandalwood paste, lauded in Hindu texts for its purity and cooling nature.
The other major tilak variant is often worn by the followers of Lord
ShivaShiva , also known as Rudra is a major Hindu god and one aspect of Trimurti. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the Supreme God...
and the different forms of Devi
ShaktiShakti from Sanskrit shak - "to be able," meaning sacred force or empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that move through the entire universe. Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes referred to as 'The...
. It consists of three horizontal bands across the forehead with a single vertical band or circle in the middle. This is traditionally done with the ash or bhasma of the wood used in yagnyas to propitiate Lord
ShivaShiva , also known as Rudra is a major Hindu god and one aspect of Trimurti. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the Supreme God...
or Devi
ShaktiShakti from Sanskrit shak - "to be able," meaning sacred force or empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that move through the entire universe. Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes referred to as 'The...
. This variant is the more ancient of the two and shares many common aspect with similar markings worn across the world.
Nowadays, tilaks are rarely worn except by Hindu priests and Hindu women who wear the
BindiA bindi is a forehead decoration worn in South Asia and Southeast Asia, not to be confused with a tilaka...
. It is often sported on religious occasions and on auspicious days such as birthdays, weddings etc.
Terminology
The word is pronounced "tilak" in Hindi, and is often written that way.
In
NepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia and the world's youngest republic. It is bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
,
BiharBihar is a state in eastern India. Bihar is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at 38,202 sq mi , and 3rd largest by population. Close to 85 percent of the population lives in villages...
and other regions, the tilak is called a
tika (टिका), and is a mixture of
abirAbir is a dye common in India. It is used during the Holi festival, which is also called the festival of color, when people throw this colourful powder at each other. Abir is typically sold in markets prior to the festival....
, a red powder, yoghurt, and grains of rice.
Varieties of Tilaka
Different Hindu traditions use different materials and shapes to make the tilaka.
- Saivites typically use vibhuti
Vibhuti is a word that has several meanings in Hinduism. The word is found in other Indian languages in addition to Sanskrit.-Sacred ash:...
in three horizontal lines across the forehead. A binduBindu is a Sanskrit term meaning "point" or "dot". The feminine case ending is Bindi which denotes a small ornamental, devotional and/or mystical dot that is cosmetically applied or affixed to the forehead in Hinduism....
of sandalwoodSandalwood is the name of different fragrant woods. These woods are yielded by the tree Santalum and Santalaceae, which are often used for the essential oil it contains. These trees are heavy and yellow in color as well as fine-grained...
paste with a dot of kumkumKumkum - is a powder used for social and religious markings in Hinduism. It is either made from turmeric or saffron. The turmeric is dried and powdered with a bit of slaked lime, which turns the rich yellow powder into a red color.The kumkum is an auspicious symbol...
in the centre is often worn with the vibhutiVibhuti is a word that has several meanings in Hinduism. The word is found in other Indian languages in addition to Sanskrit.-Sacred ash:...
. (tripundra).
- Vaishnavas apply clay from a holy river or place (such as Vrindavan
Vrindavan , or Vraj in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh, India is a town on the site of an ancient forest which is the region where Lord Krishna spent his childhood days. It lies in the Braj region...
or the YamunaThe Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India...
river) which is sometimes mixed with sandalwoodSandalwood is the name of different fragrant woods. These woods are yielded by the tree Santalum and Santalaceae, which are often used for the essential oil it contains. These trees are heavy and yellow in color as well as fine-grained...
paste. They apply the material in two vertical lines, which may be connected at the bottom, forming either a simple U shape or with an additional marking in the shape of a tulsiOcimum tenuiflorum is an aromatic plant in the family Lamiaceae...
leaf. Their tilaka is called the Urdhva Pundra TilakUrdhva Pundra tilak or Udharva Marka is a yellow U mark on the forehead made with chandan and a red dot in the centre usually made out of kumkum worn by members of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. The yellow U mark signifies the Swaminarayan's feet, while the red dot signifies Laxmi. Urdhva Pundra...
.
- Ganapatya
Ganapatya is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Ganesha as the Saguna Brahman.The worship of Ganesha is considered complementary with the worship of other deities. Hindus of all sects begin prayers, important undertakings, and religious ceremonies with an invocation of Ganesha...
use red sandal paste (rakta candana).
- Shaktas use kumkuma, or powdered red turmeric
Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20°C and 30°C, and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive...
. They draw one vertical line or dot.
- Honorary tilakas (Raj Tilak and Vir Tilak): They are usually applied as a single vertical red line. Raj Tilak will be used while throning kings or inviting prominent personalities. Vir Tilak is used to anoint victors or leaders after a war or a game.
Use by women
Hindu women have been using Tilaka for many millennia. The tilaka are worn as a beauty mark by women of all faiths, with no adherence of Hindu belief. They generally use dots (
bindiA bindi is a forehead decoration worn in South Asia and Southeast Asia, not to be confused with a tilaka...
) rather than the lines and larger marks worn by men. The term "Bindi" seems to be more often used for beauty marks.
The bindi can vary from small to large. Sometimes the terms
sindoorSindoor is a red powder , which is traditionally applied at the beginning or completely along the parting-line of a woman’s hair or as a dot on the forehead. Sindoor is the mark of a married woman in Hinduism. Single women wear the dot in different colors but do not apply sindoor in their mang...
,
kumkumKumkum - is a powder used for social and religious markings in Hinduism. It is either made from turmeric or saffron. The turmeric is dried and powdered with a bit of slaked lime, which turns the rich yellow powder into a red color.The kumkum is an auspicious symbol...
, or
kasturiKasturi can mean:* Kasturi is the surname of a Telugu Brahmin,6000 Niyogi Community of Andhra Pradesh, India. Their Gothra is Bharadwaja or [Vadhula/Vadula/Vadhoola].* Means musk in Nepali.* Kasturi - A Kannada language television channel....
are used, by reference to the material used to make the mark.
Married Hindu women may also wear additional Tilaka between the parting of the hair above forehead. This mark serves to indicate marital status.
For cultural reasons, the bindi is worn by women of many religious dispositions in India and Indonesia (including
Muslim:A Muslim , , is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah . Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah...
women) and is not unique to Hindus alone.
External links