Hindu-s often decorate their foreheads and other parts of their body - or for that matter, their homes. What does it mean?
- Certain decorative marks and substances are closely associated with deities.
- The deva-s, in their embodied forms, as conceived by Hindu-s, favor certain decorations on their body (especially on the forehead). The reasons behind this (when specified or theorized) could be aesthetic or mythological.
- For example, Shiva favors horizontally applied ash, Vishnu is thought of as favoring the tilaka or the urdhva-puNDra - multi-hued vertical lines.
- Eg. In श्रीकृष्णकर्णामृतम् - “कस्तूरीतिलकं ललाटफलके, वक्षस्स्थले कौस्तुभं, नासाग्रे नवमौक्तिकं करतले वेणुं करे कङ्कणं। सर्वाङ्गे हरिचन्दनञ्च कलयं कण्ठे च मुक्तावलीं , गोपस्त्रीपरिवेष्टितो विजयते गोपालचूडामणिः॥”
- Certain substances (red kunkuma powder, turmeric, sandal paste, ash, flowers etc..) are used in performing pUja-rituals for the deities.
- The devotees of these deva-s apply similar decorations. Women simply tend to wear a red dot.
- Particular rituals and incantations, which serve to reinforce such meaning and feeling, are associated with applying these decorations.
Reasons at an individual level
- They dedicate themselves to (the service of/ protection from) these deities (and through them to the broader pantheon) by applying similar decorations on their body.
- Various components of these marks may serve as a reminder of particular philosophical concepts (eg.: the three bonds in case of a tripUNDra), associated deities (eg: red parts in the Urdhva-puNDra indicating laxmI) and mythology.
- Devotees may be thought of as offering up their bodies as temples to these deva-s, so that they may receive divine inspiration in their thoughts and actions. For this reason, they maintain ritual purity, eat suitable (sAttivka) food offered to the deity, perform yogic exercise etc..
Communal allegiance reasons
- These decorations signify their pride in associating with the related traditions (sampradAya-s) or even the entire hindu culture.
- Most of these decorations have nothing to do with caste, though orthodox brAhmaNa-s tend to be more particular about them.