Do you know why Indian women have a red mark on their forehead? It has absolutely nothing to do with caste, as most people believe. Bindi originates from the word bindu from Sanskrit, which means dot, and is worn in the middle of the forehead between the eyebrows. A kind of decoration that became part of the culture several thousand years ago. This was before proper civilization was established and people wandered from place to place to find food and water.
There was eventually a need for belonging and ownership. When a couple "found" each other, a simple way to show belonging was to have the woman get a red mark on her forehead. Jewelry came later. It showed the people that the woman was engaged or married.
In the past, flower dust was dried and mixed with water or oil and a circle was made with the finger. Then they moved on to sindhoor , which was a red powder that was mixed with water. See the picture below, where it is placed in the division. When my mother was a young girl (1955), it was so strict that unmarried girls were only allowed to wear black bindis. Widows usually do not wear bindis. A red bindi symbolizes love and prosperity, while black bindis for married women in connection with celebrations are considered unlucky. So the division was as follows: married women red bindis, unmarried black bindis and widows no bindis.
Today, the fashion world has made bindis a decorative item in the form of different sizes, shapes and colors, but the red, round one is important at weddings and celebrations for married women. You can find them in affordable and very expensive varieties such as stickers, even in real gold and silver! The most common thing has become to match the bindi with the colors of the garment.
My favorite is this clear little bindi which I think can be suitable for everyday wear and parties!
This is also something used with chudiyan and Indian clothing which I will make a post about as well :)