Objectified: The Story of The Bindi

In this episode, The Swaddle team explores the history of the bindi and how it has shaped debates around the appropriation of Hindu culture.

'Objectified' is our all new video series, where we explore the extraordinary histories behind ordinary objects.

Edit, Motion Graphics and Camera Work: Pranav Ratra
Art Director: Neha Shekhawat
Scriptwriters: Quoyina Ghosh, Anahita Sachdev
Visual Researcher: Akanksha Mishra
Voiceover: Quoyina Ghosh
Creative Director: Shrishti Malhotra
Executive Producer: Karla Bookman

[PokhrajRoy.]

Missed opportunity to show a visual of Ila Arun and Usha Uthup being QUEENS of having the most fabulous bindis.

[PokhrajRoy.]

I feel like this is going to be a fun series. Material Culture in Anthropology with great visuals? COUNT ME IN!

[sahajheart]

It was never supposed to be a sticker bindi, it is a distorted form of what we call tilak or tika whatever you prefer to call it which is freshly prepared everyday after morning sadhna and it was for both Men and Women.

[perrynottheplatypuss]

Bindi has also been a source of discrimination for several Pakistani and Bangladeshi Hindu women who are easy targets for religious extremists. I met a friend in the us with Pakistani Hindu ancestry whose family immigrated to the us after her sister was almost kidnapped and converted. She tells horrifying first hand account stories of her mother and grandmother not wearing bindis to blend in, kinda opposite to Sindhi women. Bindi has religious roots, there’s no denying it but bindi should not be gatekept among south Asians. It’s also imperative however to recognise the discrimination that particularly Hindu women face for donning the bindi.

[shivanisamyal]

I know some urban people talk about how we should save our culture and why women should do the things the religion or culture has forced on them.

But since I live in a rural area, let me tell you that the things are far more worse than you think. Here women who doesn't wear bindis are insulted and they psychologically torture women to wear sindoor, bindi, chura etc.
The fact that it's all related to men at the end make it worse.

[msriram]

You have presented a western type perspective on this. Not once have you mentioned the deep spiritual significance of why both men in large parts of India and women placed a mark in the center of their forehead. It’s not some aesthetic thing, it’s signifies the agnya chakra, it is where the mind meets the senses. It is the point of focus in meditation. It also commonly represents the goddess. So it is perfectly reasonable for Hindus to not ask other people to use it purely as an aesthetic or decorative item. Just like it would be perfectly reasonable for Christians to not ask people to wear crosses like it was a fashion statement.

[MissMiserize]

FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T LIVED OUTSIDE INDIA FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME:

Do not confuse disrespectful cultural appropriation with respectful cultural appriciation.

Let me make this brief: unless you lived outside India long enough to experiance racism, which is rare enough that life's mostly good but happens frequently enough that basically all NR Desis have experianced it, you don't underatand what we're complaing about. No one cares about other cultures experiancing ours, but unless you're ok with the same cultures that stole the Patiala necklace thinking they can put Hindu dieties on Bikinis for fashion, we need to set boundaries. Don't expect thse land of freedom and individuality to know what "staying in your limits" are.

[cauliflowerhead]

I read so many articles issued for months by leading media outlets slamming Hollywood celebs for donning a bindi. Why were they so offended? It shows that they respect and enjoy our culture. No one wastes a thought on things they don't care about. We also borrow from their culture so let them borrow from ours.

[GH-mjti]

As a Sindhi myself, this is the first time I came to know that we didn't wear bindis originally. Thinking about it, it kinda makes sense because my mother and aunts don't wear a Bindi unless they're going out. They see it as something which is to be worn occassionally while I have seen women from other cultures wearing bindis on a daily basis. It makes so much sense now. Thanks for the great content. Hope u stick to this and tone down some of the stupidity you have posted this year.

[NoName-bmxg]

The bit where bindi is associated with patriarchy could have been explored in detail. Once I had just washed my face and my MIL pounced on me for not having a bindi on my forehead. It pissed me off enough to wear it only on festivals.

[GoddessRael]

I am a "black" American I have my bindi on as we speak my purpose of wearing it is to celebrate my 3rd eye chakra. I don't want to disrespect anyone's culture I truly feel called to wear it. I am a spiritual person and I feel it helps connect me to my higher self. Thank you for the lesson i did not know Indian ppl were discriminated for wearing bindi it breaks my heart no one should have to experience hatred for being themselves.

[suryatapamukherjee]

While in Wales, UK, I had a bindi-wearing white woman come up to me and proclaim that "they don't like LGBT people in India." This was because I was wearing a salwar kameez and it was Pride. We then had a 10 minute "argument" where I kept trying to explain that my family and friends don't have a problem and she just kept saying "No" to everything I said.

[sitazin]

i personally wear my bindis to celebrate my past heritage. i’m guyanese and my grandfather is of hindu-indian descent that migrated to guyana 🇬🇾 so for me it’s a way to showcase that heritage and culture❤

[AnjaliGupta-cpzm]

Majority of in-laws have issues with their bahus not wearing a bindi. Even in social gatherings like weddings, if the bahu misplace it, the mum in law first has a panic attack and then try arranging for one desperately as if her life depends on it.
FYI, it's based on a true story. 😉

[girdharsingh]

In Bangaladesh, it is quite common sight for some muslim women wearing bindi. I was told it was common tradition among bengali muslim women to wear bindi before religious idendity politics made a bare forhead as a norm to diffrentiate from hindu women. Despite idendity politocs some women (in urban centres) have recalimed thier cultural tradition and to some extent bindi wearing tradition is still common in rural tradtional area esp during marriage function where a muslim women wear tradtional bemgali makeup that includes bindi.

[rimsim]

Thank you for mentioning Odisha. And yes if a married hindu woman doesn't wear a 'bindi' she's stigmatised for being too modern or equated with a widow! Sad but true that our identities are so shallow!

[tanushkadutta]

This feels like a series that is well researched and we'll executed with great narritives, questioning the existence of mere objects that brings parity in the society. So proud that I subscribed to the channel

[gautamkumar-liey]

Bindi or Tika or Tilak were used to either repell negative energy or mental state benefits or spiritual significance...
Later it became the symbol of marital state but now it's being common again...
But bindi or Tika was made from natural ingredients not a sticker which only adds beauty or style

[samujjwalaraghuvanshi]

You forgot to show 1 aspect, women who don’t want to wear it but are forced to wear it cuz they are married

[r.h.]

I am so all the moral cultural policing in our country...sure you can criticise and debate about such stuff and talk about merits-demerits but outright forbidding someone or boycotting is just really bad...i really hate that kind of gatekeeping