Wednesday, April 15, 2009

a feel of india


this morning, Mrs. S hopped-in on our company bus wearing a nice striped yellow traditional dress for Indian women called Salwar kameez. and upon seeing her jewelries and bangles? Wow! all matching with the yellow golden color of her dress. including the bindi.


she asked me if i want to try putting a bindi on my forehead and i was a bit apprehensive about it since i don't want curious eyes to question me in our workplace. but anyhows, Mrs. S managed to pull out one long golden bindi from her purse and put it on my forehead. Mr. Sj approved of it as he thinks it's cute and pretty in me. but the other indian guy, Mr. B, argued that it's better if i have the round one with black color because the gold one won't be visible in a distance of 5 meters. anyhows, they still liked it and even took pictures of me to show it off with our officemates.


*shame*

i looked at myself in the mirror and i have admitted to myself that it really looks nice. but since the golden color complements my skin, it's almost unnoticeable.

some of my officemates actually took second glances when they noticed i was wearing bindi.



i took it off after lunch and decorated my puncher with it. :)


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bindi is a decoration applied on the center of women's two eyebrows. they have varying colors which you can match with your colorful Salwar kameez. they also have varying sizes and designs. you can have the bead-like, the plain ones or the studs. anyone can pretty much use the bindi as a fashion statement, unlike before when it's only meant to symbolize a woman being married or sometimes, as part of a religious affiliation or ceremony. [Source][picture]

Salwar Kameez [Source]


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Update: according to my Hindu officemate, the red round bindi symbolizes that your husband is still alive. if you're a widow, you only wear the black round bindi. she also said that there's a nerve in between the two eyebrows and so the bindi serves a protection from anything harmful. in addition to the bindi, Hindu married women also put red powder on their forehead where the hair parts. that red powder is called kumkum.

7 comments:

kg said...

ahhh, so that's what it is called. does that include those round red things I usually see on Indian women's foreheads?

physiquemama said...

Interesting post!

I love to decorate my nails and cell phones but have never tried on my forehead! You look really nice with it and your puncher too. Nice idea!

Leamsi said...

kg: actually the red round thing is the one that symbolizes marriage or that your husband is still alive. the black one is if you are a widow. these two are compulsory to Hindu women. but the other colors and designs, they are just for fashion statement. :)

rica: yeah you can try it too. there are many fancy bindis available although i'm not sure where to find them in the philippines. :)

KALI said...

OMG!!!
where can i clasify you? Asado or Bola-Bola :) hehheehe!!!

that's why i didnt catch you yesterday, lunch time... i saw judy and weng... they said your out there - and yeah, removing the "mark"

but it looks nice on you... :)
seriously!

Rico said...

So yun pala ang tawag dun! :)

Leamsi said...

kali: heehee,,,hinanap nga sa kin ng mga pana yung bindi eh nung pauwi nah. kasi di ko na sinuot. mejo nahiya nako eh. it was fun though. happy weekend kali! :)

rico: same here. tinanong ko agad ano tawag dun at ano meaning. kasi antagal ko ng gustong malaman din eh. happy weekend rico! :)

Garando said...

Hmmm, I really find bindis attractive on women. Si Garandee meron binili tapos ginagamit nya minsan, kaso depende rin sa occassion or else mag mumukha syang out of place. hehehe. :D