General - Tilak - Kumkum wearing, its benefits

 This article is to give a brief details of the tilak, bindhi, 'tika', 'pottu', 'sindoor', 'tilak', 'tilakam', and 'kumkum and why it is applied, where it is applied, who are to apply, and how to apply along with the benefits of applying the same etc. The tilak is usually a round dot small or big or red or vermillion in  color.

Wearing tilak is an important custom to Hindus

Wearing the thilak/tilak on the forehead is as important an item of life as is taking bath, lighting an oil lamp or going to the temple for worship, for the Hindus. The women wear the tilak/kumkum on the forehead, in between the eyebrows above the nose. Women especially after marriage when entering the house of the husband fully adorned and beautifully attired is a considered as very auspicious and considered to help the welfare of the family and for good progeny. Widows are not expected to wear tilak.

Men folk applying tilak

Even the menfolks used to wear tilak traditionally as is the examples of the ladies of the house, the mother or wife, brothers, or Gurus - any one of them just before the men go out for a war, martial training or for performing Yagas etc. In case of Kshatriya (warrior communities) there used to be a practice of making a small cut in the thumb and the blood is applied by wife to the men going out on war. The men in normal circumstances wear the tilak not necessarily in round shape. If they are wearing the vibhooti (sacred ash) it will be 3 horizontal lines made by 3 fingers with the ash made wet. In the center spot some may wear the kumkum (vermillion) or raksha (a mixture of ghee and the burnt homa or burnt Dhurva - dharba grass) which will be  black colored. Some wear sandal paste instead of ash or in addition to ash. The sandal paste may horizontal or a vertical one applied with the ring finger from above the eyebrows to the head. Men wear these tilaks in other places like the chest, upper arms near the shoulders also. Some of the rishees, munees, sages or priests wear the tilak on every joints on the upper portion of the body in addition to the places mentioned. 

Why tilak on forehead

Whether it is men or women the place to wear tilak is at the center of the forehead at least. The place between the 2  brows above the nose is a very sensitive point of the human beings. This spot is symbolized by the scriptures as the place of the 3rd eye of Parameswar. The spot is supposed to be a center controlling knowledge, intelligence, memory etc. The tilak is to be applied after taking bath. Immediately after bath the temperature of the body may be at variance from the atmosphere which may result in fever, cold etc. Wearing tilak will give relief to such problems. 

Applying sacred ash on the top of the head and the joints after bath will take care of the possible problems of cold, fever and dropsy (swellings) of the joints. Applying or wearing the tilak while meditating or chanting mantras on the deity of ones liking will prevent many of the doshas due to the positions of the planets. This will also bring in prosperity. During the time of inauspicious times like immediately after death or birth in the family and the menses time of ladies wearing or applying tilak should be avoided. 

How one should wear or apply Tilak?

Tilak should not be applied with the use of nails or the little finger.

If one applies tilak with the ring finger it is expected to bring mental and bodily ease or peace and salvation etc. 

If the applying is done by the middle finger, it is expected to result in longevity of life.

If with the index finger tilak is applied it will being salvation and with the thumb finger if tilak is applied it will result in proper growth of teh body. 

The items used for tilak are Bhasm (Vibhooti or sacred ash), sandal paste, kumkum etc. 

Applying sacred ash - Basm

The sacred ash is made by making balls of cow dung and thoroughly drying the same in the sun. This is burnt with the paddy husk overnight. In the morning the cow dung balls would have been burnt and became ash which are taken out carefully without mixing the husk parts. The burnings are done normally on the Siva ratri nights. Basm is supposed to give health, wealth and prosperity. 

If the positions of Sun (aditya) and Saturn (Sani) are not in favorable position at the time of birth, wearing Basm after bath with chanting of 'Om Nama:sivaya:' will give relief from the doshas. Since Basm is associated with Lord Siva, it is expected to protect us from evil spirits and the consequences. It is to be applied by making it wet with water in the mornings; mixing with sandal paste in the afternoon and applying dry in the evenings is the correct procedure. 

 Applying Sandal paste

Just as Lord Siva is associated with the Basm, Sandal is associated with Lord Vishnu. Applying or wearing sandal will bring tranquility to mind, gives a bit of cooling effect, raise the mind to the satvik level (pious making). There are two kinds of sandals, the whitish normal one and the red colored (known as rakt chandan)one. The red sandal paste is used for blood purification. For Sun worship (Aaditya pooja) red sandal or Rakt Chandan is used. People having problems due to the wrong positions of Surya (Sun) or any other planet/s are advised to take pieces of red sandal pieces the same on Sunday mornings after bath and go to temples where Surya or Navagrahas are installed and offer the same will reduce the problems. Such people may also get the daily archana done with flowers and the red sandal paste at Devi temples and wear the prasad of the red sandal used for the archan for relief. At all times whether with or without any planetary dosha is present or not it is a good practice to wear sandal paste with chanting of 'Om Namo Naaraayanaaya' is a very good practice.

Applying Kumkum (vermillion)  

Kumkum is associated with Devi and applying kumkum will bring the blessings of the Devi. Kumkum is to be made by drying and powdering the kumkum flower (saffron flower -  kesar flower). It is also good to apply the kumkum during the dasa period of the planets moon, kuja (mangal - Mars), Sukr (Venus) and Kethu. Daily wearing kumkum is expected to give family security, keep the evil spirits and their consequences away besides help enhancing beauty. The kumkum used for abhishek or archan for Devi idols is very god if applied daily. Since saffron is very costly, kumkum is made by mixing of calcium and turmeric powder. The tow are mixed in such a way that the calcium is added to turmeric bit by bit and mixing thoroughly till the desired color is arrived.

Applying Raksha for tilak

After performing Ganesh homa (sacred fire) where coconut, and other auspicious homa items are used the charcoal is taken out and mixed with ghee or honey making it a loose paste. This is known as raksha (protection). Applying or wearing this will help to remove obstacles form ones path. This is also good for people suffering from Kethu or Sani dasa to wear to get relief from the troubles. 

Other items for tilak

From Naaga (snake) temples and Devi temples turmeric used for abhishek or archan is given as prasad. It is very good to wear this to get relief from Rahu dosha. It also helps to reduce the poisonous elements in blood, and for increasing beauty. 

The Bhadrakali temples use a coal paste made of raw green till (gingelli) plant by burning after taking out the sesame seeds or burning or rice and making paste with til oil. This will be a black colored paste like thing used to adorn the deity during abhishek. This is given as prasad and using this will ward of Kuja or Chandra doshas. This will be very helpful during the Kuja or Chandra dasa in one's life.

Kalabham is another item used for tilak. This is made by mixing sandal, gulgulu (Indian bdellium tree - Commiphora mukul or Gugal, Guggulin Hindi), maanja , Kumkum flower (saffron), Kotam, Iruveli, Ramacham (vetiver - khas grass) and Akil all Ayurveda medicinal items. This will be made as paste in the temples and applied to the deities. This after removing from the idols are distributed as prasad. Applying this on the body or using it for tilak is very good. This will give cooling effect to the body.

There area also some other such items used to make particular or specific tilak for specific purposes.

Though tilak is predominantly used by Hindus, people of other faiths have also started using this slowly.