sindoor

Anthropology 2
Individual project.
Briefly describe your object , how is it used and what it means to you. Discuss the origin of this symbolic object, how this symbolic object says about your culture and your own life as a member of this culture.
One very important object for a married woman in India is sindoor. Sindoor is a red or a red-orange powder Hindu woman apply in the middle of their forehead as a symbol of meaning married. When a woman ceases to wear this powder it usually means that she is a widow. It is applied at the parting line of women's hair which is called the mang. Unmarried woman in india wear a dot called bindi but do not wear sindoor until their marriage. Sindoor is first applied to a woman by her husband on her wedding night.
Sindoor for me has always been a part of a woman’s identity. Whenever I see a woman wearing sindoor I automatically know her relationship status. Almost every woman in my family wears sindoor including my mother and grandmother. I think it is very special to wear sindoor in my culture because it represents the pride every married woman has. It is a representation of the love and respect they have for their husbands. Sindoor compares to the engagement rings in the western cultures. But unlike the western culture, sindoor can be only worn by the woman and not the men. Sindoor is like an adornment proudly worn by the Hindu women. It is also to show their desire for their husband’s longevity. I believe that Sindoor is a perfect representation of the hierarchy in a married relationship in the Hindu culture. It shows how women are the ones who are suppose to show their respect and submissiveness by wearing this adornment for their husband. It also shows their respect and gratefulness to their husband. In our culture, a husband is put high up on a pedestal by their wives. In my family, my mother or grandmother do not eat their meal until their husband finish theirs. It shows care and respect for them. Because in our culture, men are the major breadwinners and women are the homemakers, women are suppose to be submissive and grateful to their husband because they are the sole provider for themselves and their children.
I have always wanted to be married one day so I can also follow this tradition of wearing sindoor. I think it is very important to show your love, gratitude, respect and trust towards your life partner. I think one of the most important reasons that most marriages in India are least likely to end up in a divorce is because of this idea. There is not a clash between the two roles of a husband and a wife. I am all for equality between men and women but I also think that both the partners should learn how to take a step back when needed. One should not feel the need to be excessively dominating all the time.
The origin of sindoor has been traced back to five thousand years back. Female figures excavated from over 5000 years ago show that the tradition of applying sindoor in the partition of woman’s hair was present even in the early Harappan times. It is quite surprising that applying sindoor also has some physiological significance to it. Sindoor is made up by mixing turmeric-lime and the metal mercury which not only facilitates in lowering blood pressure but also activates sexual drive. This further explain the reason why sindoor is prohibited for widows.Even though sindoor is just an object, its significance in the Hindu society still remains very constant. Upto this day there is hardly any hindu bride who gets married without sindoor in her mang.