The History of Sindoor

“Ek chutki sindoor ki kimat, tum kya Jano Ramesh babu?” Do you remember this famous dialogue by Shantipriya from Om Shanti Om? Of course, you do. So did you understand the value of a pinch of vermilion? Well, I am not sure if its value can be explained in words or not, but its history can surely be. In this article, let us trace the history of this dash of vermilion red.

The auspicious red sindoor, Image source- MDedge

The traditional dash of red-shining bright on the hairline of married females has been a symbol of womanhood for ages. This thin line of vermilion is ingrained in the culture and represents more than just colour. It is considered that a woman in red is happily tied with a forever bond with her husband.

When a girl gets married and steps into her new life, the first gift from her husband is a pinch of sindoor. It is the holiest mark that proves his existence in her life. Thus, there is no doubt why this carries the utmost importance for a married woman.

Our mythology has woven numerous stories that are not only fascinating but explain the worth of sindoor. According to the Ramayana, once, Mata Sita was in her room, adorning herself with a dash of vermilion red. When Lord Hanuman saw her always including Sindoor in her Shringar, he was curious about this red-shining line on her forehead. He could not help but express his uncertainty to her. Sita cleared his doubts by explaining how Rama loves it and that it is the source of her husband’s long life.

There are other goddesses in mythology, like Sati, Radha, and Parvati, who have glorified sindoor for women. In Hindu mythology, Sindoor is considered the symbol of Sati, who is considered the ideal wife. Also, Radha used to apply sindoor in the shape of a flame to adorn her forehead, and Parvati applied it to protect Lord Shiv from evil spirits.

According to Hindu astrology, the house of Aries is located on the forehead and is ruled by Mars. Mars, the ruler of Mesha, is represented by the colour red. It is considered to be fortunate. For this reason, a crimson sindoor is applied to the forehead and the hair area.

The first gift by the groom to bride is sindoor, Image source - Dazed

The history of Sindoor in our past dates back to 5000 years ago in the Harappan civilization. The women of the period applied sindoor on the hairline as a sacred symbol of marriage. Female figures carved at Mehrgarh (Balochistan) portray women wearing Sindoor in the partition of their hair, which shows the evidence of Sindoor in Harappa.

Sindoor is applied in different ways and shapes nowadays. When some women proudly embrace it, some find confidence without it. However, the importance of Sindoor goes beyond societal and cultural values.

The key ingredients of Sindoor are an alum, turmeric, lime, and a red tint. All of these combine to offer some health and psychological benefits too. When used in moderation, the mercury found in Sindoor is advantageous for women. Sindoor also activates the chakras in the forehead to attract positive energy.

In Ayurvedic herbology, red sindoor is regarded to have medicinal properties that can boost blood flow and trigger sex drive in women. This is the reason why unmarried girls and widows are forbidden to use Sindoor.

Influential women have recently recreated the usage and colours of sindoor in a variety of concepts to demonstrate that sindoor is not a dated idea but rather something that is evolving. However, for ages, sindoor has been a symbol and colour of love that women celebrate.