World Bindi Day (WBD) is celebrated on September 26th every year with the theme, “Bindi is Beauty with Dignity”. The date September 26th was chosen to coincide with the start of one of the major annual Hindu festivals, the festival of Sharada Navratri, a nine-day celebration dedicated to the Goddess Durga.
WBD is a Universal collaboration aimed at celebrating and encouraging the wearing of the Bindi – pottu in Tamil/Bottu in Telugu – the characteristic “dot” worn on the forehead by those professing the four Indic Religions- Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
In the modern times, Bindi has transcended all Faiths and Religions and has become a Fashion Statement of sorts for non-denominational and agnostic Icons from all occupations. Traces of Bindi like distinctive marks on the Forehead have been found in Caves, Murals, Paintings, Sculptures across the Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Greek, Chinese, Incan, and Indigenous Civilizations of the recent past.
The Hindi word “Bindi” is originally derived from the Sanskrit word “Bindu” meaning point, drop, dot or small particle. Bindu is the point at which creation begins, and as such represents the cosmos in its unmanifested state. Bindu in Buddhism signifies the point or dot around which the Mandala is created, representing the Universe.
Often red in color, although not necessarily, Bindi is a distinctive mark of Indic and dharmic culture, carrying religious and cultural significance, and bestowing several spiritual, mental, and emotional benefits. The Bindi is placed over the energy center known as the ajna, brow or third eye chakra, intensifying the energy of this chakra and reminding us to keep God at the center of our thoughts.
As part of the World Bindi Day celebrations, many celebrities and Influencers have taken to social media to spread awareness on the significance of sporting a Bindi.
World Bindi Day is a collaborative initiative between hundreds of organizations and millions of individuals, who banded together to encourage people worldwide to embrace this fundamental identity of Divine Beauty with a sense of pride. This striking external expression of Tradition and Culture dates back thousands of years, and remains a treasure, a jewel, to this day in the modern world.
We cordially invite everyone to help raise awareness and to join the celebrations by sporting a Bindi on 26 September 2022, the first day of Navratri, and by sharing photos on social media.
Please do tag @worldbindiday on Instagram and @WorldBindiDay on Twitter with the hashtags #WorldBindiDay #Bindi #BindiPride. Photos can also be uploaded directly to worldbindiday.org.
“Bindi is Beauty with Dignity”
