Sindoor
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Sindoor is a red powder which is applied as a full line along the dividing part of a woman’s hair or a dot on the forehead. Sindoor in the part is the mark of marriage in Hinduism and is only used by married women. Single women do wear the dot ("bindi" in Hindi).
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. Women initially experience it during their marriage ceremonies and it is considered very important since the bride belongs to the groom and, apparently, loses her virginity as soon as it is put on.[1][2]
Actually it has been explained by experts in Vedic traditions that the sindoor is placed on the part at the time of the marriage to signify that the wife is now under the protection of her husband and that anyone who dares to try to harm her would find that their blood (also red) would be forfeit. The sindoor is basically a warning of protection by the husband of his wife.
There are many Indian movies and dramas under the name of sindoor — sindoor tere naam ki 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, partly because it is inconvenient. Many thus 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 but soon a reformist organization was established to eliminate it.[3]
Though most Indian women do continue to wear the bindi, it has become a decorative accessory often applied as a sticker.
[edit] Composition
Traditional sindoor (also known as kumkum) was made with turmeric and alum or lime, or from other herbal ingredients.[4] The commercially available powders are usually mercury or lead compounds (e.g., powdered red lead); these are toxic and can cause lead poisoning.[5][4]
[edit] Health hazard
In early 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered several US retail stores and malls to remove bindi and sindoor from their shelves due to concerns over high lead and other harmful chemical contents.[6]
Dermatologists have concluded that the internal effects of lead are dangerous and can cause possilbe side effects on the central nervous system, kidneys and heart. Nevertheless, the emergence of synthetic dye industry has led to a variety of chemical dyes and salts at a cheaper price in India.
[edit] References
- ^ Ahearn, Laura M (2001). Invitation to love: Literacy, Love Letters, & Social Change in Nepal. University of Michigan : Michigan, p.95.
- ^ Selwyn, Tom (Dec 1979). "Images of Reproduction: An Analysis of a Hindu Marriage Ceremony". JSTOR 14 (4): 684-698.
- ^ Akbar, M J (2002). The Shades of Swords: Jihad and the conflict between Islam and Christianity. Routledge: London, New York, p.111.
- ^ a b Kapoor, V P (Jul 2007). "Kohl and Sindoor: the potential source of lead poisoning". EnviroNews 13 (3).
- ^ The Hazards of Synthetic Sindoor. Hinduism Today (2004-10-12). Retrieved on 2008-03-09.
- ^ After sindoor, bindi taken off American shelves. IBN Live (2008-03-04). Retrieved on 2008-03-09.
Sindoor ; K.Ravi Shankar, August, 1987.
Sindoor tere naam ki ;Jay Mehta & Kinnari Mehta, Swapna Joshi Waghmare, Kiron Juneja, Gurdeep Kohli, Kishori Shahane, Kirti Gaekwad, Sachin Shroff and Anand Suryavanshi; Zee TV: Monday - Friday at 7:30 pm.
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