A
bindi (, from
Sanskrit bindu, meaning "point, drop, dot or small particle") is a red dot worn on the center of the forehead, commonly by Hindu women. The word
Bindu dates back to the
hymn of creation known as
Nasadiya Sukta in Rig Veda
Bindu is considered the point at which creation begins and may become
unity. It is also described as "the sacred symbol of the cosmos in its unmanifested state". Bindi is a bright dot of red colour applied in the center of the forehead close to the
eyebrow worn in
South Asia (particularly
India,
Pakistan,
Bangladesh,
Nepal,
Sri Lanka and
Mauritius) and
Southeast Asia among
Bali and
Javanese Hindus. Bindi in
Hinduism,
Buddhism and
Jainism is associated with
Ajna Chakra and
Bindu is known as the
third eye chakra and is linked to the
pineal gland which may inform a model of its envisioning.
Bindu is the point or dot around which the
mandala is created, representing the universe. Bindi has historical and cultural presence in the region of
Greater India.