Guest guest Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Most religious Indians, especially married women wear a tilak or pottu on the forehead. It is applied daily after the bath and on special occasions, before or after ritualistic worship or visit to the temple. In many communities, it is enjoined upon married women to sport a kum kum on their foreheads at all times. The orthodox put it on with due rituals. The tilak is applied on saints and images of the Lord as a form of worship and in many parts of North India as a respectful form of welcome, to honour guests or when bidding farewell to a son or husband about to embark on an journey. The tilak varies in colour and form. This custom was not prevalent in the Vedic period. it gained popularity in the Pauranic period. Some belive that it originated in South India. The tilak or pottu invokes a feeling of sanctity in the wearer and others. It is recognised as a religious mark. It form and colour vary according to one's caste, religious sect or the form of the Lord worshiped. In earlier times, the four castes (based on verna or color) - Braahmana,Kshatriya,Vaishya and Sudra - applied marks differently. The brahmin applied a white chandan (sandalwood paste) mark signifying purity as his profession was of a priestly or academic nature. The Kshatriya applied a red kum kum mark signifying valour as he belonged to the warrior races. The Vaishya wore yellow kesar or termeric mark signifying prosperity as he was a business man or trader devoted to creation of wealth. The sudra applied a black bhasma, kasturi or charcoal mark signifying service as he support the work of the other three divisions. Also Lord Vishnu worshipers apply a chandan tilak of the shape of " U " , Lord Shiva worshipers applied a tripundra bhasma, Devi worshippers applied red dot of kum kum. The chandan, kum kum or bhasma which is offered to the Lord is taken back as prasad and applied on foreheads. The tilak covers the spot between the eye brows, which the seat of memory and thinking. It is known as the aajna chakra in the language of yoga. The tilak is applied with the prayer - " May i remember the Lord. May this pious feeling pervade all my activities. May I be righteous in my deeds " . Even when we temporarily forget this prayerful attitude the mark on another reminds us of our resolve. The tilak is thus a blessing of the Lord and protection against wrong tendencies and forces. The entire body emanates energy in the form of electro-magnetic waves - the forehead and the subtle spot between the eye brows especially so. That is why worry generates heat and causes a headache. The tilak or pottu cools the forehead, protects us and prevents energy loss. Sometimes, the entire forehead is covered with chandan or bhasma. Using plastic reusable 'stick bindis' is not very beneficial, even though it serves the purpose of decoration. This unique to Indians and helps to easily identify us anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 Interesting read about the marks on the forehead. Question: Why would anyone like to identify oneself to the body or an expression of the body like the mark on the forehead? Why would anybody like to identify oneself to a mark that distinguishes ones little self from others? Why focusing on differences rather than on that which unites? In other words..why would anybody like to focus upon any outer marks if the inner soul and spirit is the only thing that counts? johan Van: Namens divinesprt Verzonden: donderdag 19 maart 2009 4:20 Aan: Onderwerp: Why do we wear marks on the forehead? Most religious Indians, especially married women wear a tilak or pottu on the forehead. It is applied daily after the bath and on special occasions, before or after ritualistic worship or visit to the temple. In many communities, it is enjoined upon married women to sport a kum kum on their foreheads at all times. The orthodox put it on with due rituals. The tilak is applied on saints and images of the Lord as a form of worship and in many parts of North India as a respectful form of welcome, to honour guests or when bidding farewell to a son or husband about to embark on an journey. The tilak varies in colour and form. This custom was not prevalent in the Vedic period. it gained popularity in the Pauranic period. Some belive that it originated in South India. The tilak or pottu invokes a feeling of sanctity in the wearer and others. It is recognised as a religious mark. It form and colour vary according to one's caste, religious sect or the form of the Lord worshiped. In earlier times, the four castes (based on verna or color) - Braahmana,Kshatriya,Vaishya and Sudra - applied marks differently. The brahmin applied a white chandan (sandalwood paste) mark signifying purity as his profession was of a priestly or academic nature. The Kshatriya applied a red kum kum mark signifying valour as he belonged to the warrior races. The Vaishya wore yellow kesar or termeric mark signifying prosperity as he was a business man or trader devoted to creation of wealth. The sudra applied a black bhasma, kasturi or charcoal mark signifying service as he support the work of the other three divisions. Also Lord Vishnu worshipers apply a chandan tilak of the shape of " U " , Lord Shiva worshipers applied a tripundra bhasma, Devi worshippers applied red dot of kum kum. The chandan, kum kum or bhasma which is offered to the Lord is taken back as prasad and applied on foreheads. The tilak covers the spot between the eye brows, which the seat of memory and thinking. It is known as the aajna chakra in the language of yoga. The tilak is applied with the prayer - " May i remember the Lord. May this pious feeling pervade all my activities. May I be righteous in my deeds " . Even when we temporarily forget this prayerful attitude the mark on another reminds us of our resolve. The tilak is thus a blessing of the Lord and protection against wrong tendencies and forces. The entire body emanates energy in the form of electro-magnetic waves - the forehead and the subtle spot between the eye brows especially so. That is why worry generates heat and causes a headache. The tilak or pottu cools the forehead, protects us and prevents energy loss. Sometimes, the entire forehead is covered with chandan or bhasma. Using plastic reusable 'stick bindis' is not very beneficial, even though it serves the purpose of decoration. This unique to Indians and helps to easily identify us anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 Just from one perspective...I cannot speak for anyone else of course.....the Tilak and all of its various meanings is part of tradition for India. It is a tradition that goes back thousands of years and is deeply ingrained in the people there. For them is it a mark that ties people together not distinguishes them as a society apart. Sadly, today, the younger Indian people are losing interest in these things as they try to emulate other cultures including ours. I find it amusing that I have embraced their beliefs and by wearing a Tilak make myself stand out. It is not for attention but for my beliefs. To me it like carrying a rosary in a way. Perhaps by embracing the differences in people we become united? I would like to think that. Thank you for such a thought provoking question. It gave me pause and made me consider my answer carefully before responding. I am interested in seeing what others have to say. On Sat, Mar 21, 2009 at 6:40 AM, johan <johanders wrote: > Interesting read about the marks on the forehead. > > Question: Why would anyone like to identify oneself to the body or an > expression of the body like the mark on the forehead? > > Why would anybody like to identify oneself to a mark that distinguishes > ones > little self from others? Why focusing on differences rather than on that > which unites? > > In other words..why would anybody like to focus upon any outer marks if the > inner soul and spirit is the only thing that counts? > > johan > > Van: <%40>[ > <%40>] > Namens divinesprt > Verzonden: donderdag 19 maart 2009 4:20 > Aan: <%40> > Onderwerp: Why do we wear marks on the forehead? > > Most religious Indians, especially married women wear a tilak or pottu on > the forehead. It is applied daily after the bath and on special occasions, > before or after ritualistic worship or visit to the temple. In many > communities, it is enjoined upon married women to sport a kum kum on their > foreheads at all times. The orthodox put it on with due rituals. The tilak > is applied on saints and images of the Lord as a form of worship and in > many > parts of North India as a respectful form of welcome, to honour guests or > when bidding farewell to a son or husband about to embark on an journey. > The > tilak varies in colour and form. > > This custom was not prevalent in the Vedic period. it gained popularity in > the Pauranic period. Some belive that it originated in South India. > > The tilak or pottu invokes a feeling of sanctity in the wearer and others. > It is recognised as a religious mark. It form and colour vary according to > one's caste, religious sect or the form of the Lord worshiped. > > In earlier times, the four castes (based on verna or color) - > Braahmana,Kshatriya,Vaishya and Sudra - applied marks differently. The > brahmin applied a white chandan (sandalwood paste) mark signifying purity > as > his profession was of a priestly or academic nature. The Kshatriya applied > a > red kum kum mark signifying valour as he belonged to the warrior races. The > Vaishya wore yellow kesar or termeric mark signifying prosperity as he was > a > business man or trader devoted to creation of wealth. The sudra applied a > black bhasma, kasturi or charcoal mark signifying service as he support the > work of the other three divisions. Also Lord Vishnu worshipers apply a > chandan tilak of the shape of " U " , Lord Shiva worshipers applied a > tripundra > bhasma, Devi worshippers applied red dot of kum kum. > > The chandan, kum kum or bhasma which is offered to the Lord is taken back > as > prasad and applied on foreheads. The tilak covers the spot between the eye > brows, which the seat of memory and thinking. It is known as the aajna > chakra in the language of yoga. The tilak is applied with the prayer - " May > i remember the Lord. May this pious feeling pervade all my activities. May > I > be righteous in my deeds " . Even when we temporarily forget this prayerful > attitude the mark on another reminds us of our resolve. The tilak is thus a > blessing of the Lord and protection against wrong tendencies and forces. > > The entire body emanates energy in the form of electro-magnetic waves - the > forehead and the subtle spot between the eye brows especially so. That is > why worry generates heat and causes a headache. The tilak or pottu cools > the > forehead, protects us and prevents energy loss. Sometimes, the entire > forehead is covered with chandan or bhasma. Using plastic reusable 'stick > bindis' is not very beneficial, even though it serves the purpose of > decoration. > > This unique to Indians and helps to easily identify us anywhere. > > -- It is said that the true sign of awakened Kundalini energy is strength of character. ~rjk Visit my blog at http://kundalinishaktienergy.blogspot.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.