Kumkum is considered to be very auspicious by Indians and thus, used for various purposes on special occasions like wedding and festivals. Can anyone tell me the significance of wearing Sindoor by married women?
Posted On : 3/30/2009 10:08:20 PM
Anju Malhotra Reward Points : 61200 Member Since : Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sindoor is a red powder which is traditionally applied at the beginning or completely along the parting-line of a woman s hair also called mang 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 bindi in Hindi but do not apply sindoor in their mang. Hindu widows do not wear the sindoor, signifying that their husband is no longer alive.The history of sindoor is believed to be very old it is a very traditional practice. It expresses a woman s desire for a long life for their husbands. The reason sindoor is red is because it comes from vermilion, and it is said to represent strength and love. A woman s initial experience with the sindoor is during their marriage ceremonies. The displaying of the sindoor is considered very important since the bride belongs to the groom. Many experts in Vedic traditions say that the sindoor is placed on the part of the hair at marriage to signify that the wife is now under the protection of her husband and that anyone who harms her would find that their blood would be shed. There are many Indian movies and dramas involving sindoor Sindoor Tere Naam Ka and the movie Sindoor released in 1987 with their themes revolving around the ritual s significance. Modern women seldom use sindoor on the forehead daily simply because it is inconvenient. Many choose to apply a small amount to the parting of the hair as a compromise between modern living and ancient tradition. In general, using sindoor is a Hindu tradition, and not followed by Muslim women. In the 19th century, sindoor was one of the rituals that a Sufi leader Sharafuddin Maneri had permitted Bangladeshi Muslim women to practice however, soon thereafter a reformist organization was established to eliminate it. Though most Indian women do continue to wear the bindi, it has become a decorative accessory often applied as a sticker. In early 2008, allegations of high lead content led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reduce sales of Sindoor in malls.
Posted On : 4/2/2009 7:25:07 AM
Maniam PS [Guru] Reward Points : 138800 Member Since : Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Sindoor also known as kumkum, was made with turmeric and alum or lime, or from other herbal ingredients , is a red powder which is traditionally applied at the beginning or completely along the parting-line of a woman s hair also called mang 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 bindi in Hindi but do not apply sindoor in their mang. Hindu widows do not wear the sindoor, signifying that their husband is no longer alive. The history of sindoor is believed to be very old it is a very traditional practice. It expresses a woman s desire for a long life for their husbands. The reason sindoor is red is because it comes from vermilion, and it is said to represent strength and love. A woman s initial experience with the sindoor is during their marriage ceremonies. The displaying of the sindoor is considered very important since the bride belongs to the groom. Many experts in Vedic traditions say that the sindoor is placed on the part of the hair at marriage to signify that the wife is now under the protection of her husband and that anyone who harms her would find that their blood would be shed.
Posted On : 4/2/2009 9:17:17 AM
Indu Tripathi Reward Points : 22900 Member Since : Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Sindooor or vermilion holds lot of importance in Indian society. The tradition of application of sindoor in the parting of hair by married Hindu women is considered extremely auspicious and is being carried on since centuries.indoor is applied for the first time to a Hindu woman during the marriage ceremony when the bridegroom himself adorns her with it. The ceremony is called Sindoor-Dana and is very much in vogue even in present times. Religious scholars say that there has been no mention of this ceremony before the Grihasutras hence it is considered to be a relatively new practice. The tradition of wearing Sindoor by married women has been explained with the help of mythology. Scholars say that red is the color of power while vermilion is a symbol of the female energy of Parvati and Sati. Hindu mythological legends regard Sati as the ideal wife who gave her life for her husband s honor. Every Hindu wife is supposed to emulate her. Hindus believe that Goddess Parvati protects all those men whose wives apply vermilion to their parting of hair.
Posted On : 4/9/2009 3:17:04 AM
Maya Chowdhury Reward Points : 13600 Member Since : Monday, January 05, 2009
hI ALL.. It is interesting to note that that the application of sindoor by married women carries physiological significance too. This is so because Sindoor is prepared by mixing turmeric-lime and the metal mercury. Due to its intrinsic properties, mercury, besides controlling blood pressure also activates sexual drive. This also explains why Sindoor is prohibited for the widows. For best results, Sindoor should be applied right upto the pituitary gland where all our feelings are centered.
Posted On : 4/9/2009 3:23:02 AM
Siddharth Ray Reward Points : 61200 Member Since : Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Well friends I know some demerits of Kumkum available in the market. The commerical Sindoor sold over the counter contains Lead Oxides and is actually very toxic. My mother had headaches continuously and the doctor told the headaches and twitching was caused by the exposure to sindoor that contains lead.
radition of wearing Sindoor or vermillion is said to have traveled through more than 5,000 years of Hindu culture. Female figurines excavated at Mehrgarh, Baluchistan, show that sindoor was applied to the partition of women s hair even in early Harappan times. Besides, legends says that Radha, the consort of Lord Krishna, turned the kumkum into a flame like design on her forehead. In the famous epic Mahabharata, Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, is believed to have wiped her sindoor in disgust and despair. Use of Sindoor has also been mentioned in The Puranas, Lalitha Sahasranamam and Soundarya Lahharis.
Sindoor
