Shilpa, Char Chand lagaye

You have to agree, women are something. God gave them lips they put lipstick, God gave them eyes they put Kajal, God gave them forehead they put Bindi…

I am one of those - who loves to apply Bindi, who loves to wear Indian attires just because she can get to wear Bindi, who matches the color of Bindi to her dress, or probably the dress to the color of Bindi… The beautiful world of Bindi (or Bindiya)

Shilpa, Char Chand Lagaye

My first fascination with the world of Bindi happened as a kid, when I first saw the 'Shilpa Bindi' advertisement on Doordarshan. I am searching for the video. A young beautiful woman wearing a light pink Sari, pearl necklace, long silky hair, deep Kajal in eyes, flashing a pearly smile. Everything was perfect, but the only thing which got my attention was that Maroon round shaped Bindi. It was just magnificent, how all her beauty merged into that one simple adornment. And the musical jingle played in the background:

Shilpa, Char Chand Lagaye (Shilpa, Chan Chan Lagaye)

Shilpa, Char Chand Lagaye (Shilpa, Chan Chan Lagaye)

Hats off to the one who created this advertisement. To visualize that woman, strong and confident of her beauty and her own self. She may or may not have been married, with a large Bindi and pearl necklace instead of Mang Teeka or Mangalsutra. She does not cover her head but still likes to dress traditionally. She likes to be a woman and pretty herself, without a man in sight to compliment or admire her. In 80s this was a big deal. She was the face of modern Indian women, traditional but not conservative, wore make up yet looked natural, cultural yet confident.

I loved wearing Bindi as a kid. I wore it when I played Ghar Ghar with my friends or cousins, always a sign of the lady of the house. It could be Shilpa, or any local Bindi my mother could spare from her dresser for me to play with. But because of the cheap gum to stick with my mother forbade me to apply it any more. I loved it so much that I started applying it in secret, but unfortunately, I was always caught. 5 year old me, wondered how my mom found out every time. Of course the cheap gum mark, right in the middle of my forehead. Silly me, thought, I could fool my mother.

Marathi Half Moon Bindi & Bengali Full Moon Bindi

Over years Bindi has evolved with different fashions and fads. There was a time when I used to wear this Snake shaped curvy Black Bindi, another phase when I wore Diamond Stone Bindi on the outer edges of both eyes, or drew the art work right from the scratch. Every time it was a field day for my brothers teasing me royally for these experiments. Although in my mind I looked pretty and they were silly.

Now I am a grown up, and I still haven't gotten over this obsession. Having a broad forehead  only complimented this. Bigger is better after all.  I wear as much Bindi as I want, trying different shapes, sizes, colors, types, styles but the Plain Jane Bindi tops the list always. Whether Marathi Half Moon or Bengali Full Moon, there is a Bindi for every Indian dress and every occasion. Every time an Indian woman wears a Bindi, her beauty surely gets four moons…

The mercies, The moments, The memories, of applying Bindi, of being a girl, of being a woman, of being beautiful, and realizing 'I am beautiful'

<Image source: Indybindi, filmiadda, theindianweddingblog>>