Indian bindi

At our luxury hotel in Spain Asia Gardens Hotel Thai & Spa we love travelling around Asia to discover its secrets and mysteries. Today we are taking you to India to talk you about one of the most significant elements for their culture: the bindi.

The bindi is a decorative element, which is mainly worn in India. It is a bright red dot applied in the centre of the forehead. It is also known as Ajna Chakra, Spiritual Eye and Third Eye. It represents the major nerve centre in the human body.

According to tradition, the bindi is the chakra, which is considered an energy point that helps finding inner peace through meditation. Another theory guarantees it is a symbol of the Goddess Parvati, which provides feminine energy and protects either the woman who wears it or her husband.

The bindi is used for showing a woman is married. In the past, the groom would paint with a dot his own blood on his wife´s forehead for symbolizing they were married. Nowadays, the blood has been replaced by make-up and paint. Hindu wise men state that the red lead power, called sindhoor, and the spearmint plaster have refreshing properties, which refresh the nerve centre associated to this point and calm the mind.

There are different forms of bindis, depending on the religion. Those ones who believe in God Vishnu must apply the bindi in a yellow, saffron or red U-form. And the ones who venerate God Shiva have to paint three horizontal lines with ash or Bhasma.

Currently, the bindi has lost its original meaning. It is mainly uses as an ornament and is also worn by single women. However, single women can´t wear red bindis, these ones are only for married ladies. For Asian culture, the red colour symbolizes love, prosperity and honour.

If you would like to feel the Asian tradition, come see us to our 5 star resort in Spain Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. A luxury oasis in the Mediterranean!