Others associate it with married women, though it is also commonly worn by children and single women. Parents may also mark their babies' faces with bindis to ward off the evil eye.

What does wearing a bindi mean?

The bindi can symbolize many aspects of the Hindu culture, but from the beginning it has always been a red dot worn on the forehead, most commonly to represent a married woman. The bindi is also said to be the third eye in Hindu religion, and it can be used to ward off bad luck.

Is wearing bindi compulsory?

In Maharashtra, Gujarat, the Punjab and some southern states, girls choose to wear a bindi, while in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Assam, it is a mandatory practice of the married woman to adorn a red bindi, though unmarried girls can also wear it.