The Bhindi or “Tikka” Mark on the Head- What is it?

(Pooja tikka mark)

Many westerners have asked me what the Bhindi or red “tikka” mark means or why I am willing to wear it as a Chri$tian. Many people associate this mark with H!nduism.

In my contextualization classes we were taught about finding the difference between culture and religion. The scripture is clear that we don’t want to do anything to compromise our Chri$tian faith and values. At the same time the go$pel is full of the liberties that Chri$t brought to us through the cross. We are no longer obligated to religious practices and rituals. Chri$t fulfilled the law. As we work with non-believers we don’t want to make Chri$tianity another religion. We don’t want to make following Chri$t more difficult than it has to be. Following Je$us doesn’t have to mean abandoning culture, it just has to mean abandoning any other faith or practices of that faith. As teachers, we have to help our disciples find this difference as they come to follow the Father more and more. We don’t want to cause a new believer to stumble either.  Think of the pork references in the B!ble that Paul discusses. Discernment in this area is definitely needed.

(Marriage bhindi dot/fashion sticker)

The Bhindi, or small dot sticker on the forehead is often seen as a symbol of marriage and/or fashion. It would be no different than wearing a wedding band or trendy earrings in the western context. This is clearly cultural.  The red dot on the forehead is also a symbol of marriage.  This mark is also sometimes places on one’s forehead at a wedding or first meeting, as a sign of “welcome”.  It is true there are other dots or smear marks of paint, often called “Sindhus”, that are used during prayers or poojas to H!ndu gods. Obviously a Chri$tian would not want to participate in anything connected to worship to a false god. These different marks are clearly done with different intention.

(Welcoming tikka mark)

Finding the cultural meaning in the midst of the religious contexts can be difficult, but is needed. In general I don’t wear the tikka mark, or bhindi because I don’t want someone to confuse any of the marks on my body with that of a H!ndu religious practice. I wouldn’t want them to think I am practicing both religions or that I am accepting of their religious practices.  However, I can also find the cultural practices and allow family to welcome me into their midst for the first time, or wear the wedding sign of marriage when I am visiting them to honor their culture.  In the same way I wear their traditional clothes when I am around them, I wear the bhindi as a display that I am a married woman. Choosing to accept their culture yet deny their religious practices also gives me opportunity to share the truth with them. Most recently as Manoj’s family welcomed me with the red tikka mark into the family; we shared how the Israelites spread the blood of goats on their doorposts hundreds of years before Chri$t, and how later Je$us became the fulfillment of the blood covering through the cross.