This is another one of those days that I didn’t know existed !! And it does. Today, Oct 17 is apparently celebrated as World Bindi Day. For someone who has worn a Bindi every single day of my life, I don’t know whether I should be happy about having a day set aside to celebrate it or should I be sad that its so “out of fashion” that it needs a special day ?😢.
I started out using the liquid bindi, then migrated to the sticker. For the longest time I stuck with the red or maroon round shaped Bindi. Then we shifted to Delhi in 1997. For the first time I discovered a whole range of coloured stick on Bindis with all kinds of glitter etc. I don’t like glitter – neither on my sarees nor on my forehead !!
I experimented with shapes and because I have a large forehead, I can stick on several bindis and still be left with space :). Matching the Bindi colours with the saree I was wearing for the day was another favorite ritual. More recently in 2019, Lakshmi who runs Kalpavastram sent over a few packets of large sized “tilak” bindis from her favorite store. I immediately called the shop up and got to speak with Mr. Devendra.
He sent me a few samples over WhatsApp but wasn’t able to courier them. Rose came to the rescue as she was in Mumbai at that time. She went to Mr. Devendra’s store and collected the Bindis and Sarbjit brought them with him when he came back to Delhi. See, having school friends all over the country/world helps 😁.
I managed two years with that stock of bindis… was down to the last 5 packs. I called up Devendra Ji again and within 48 hours, got the longer size “tilak” delivered to me ! Talk of digital economy. Was totally floored with the speed. Devendra Ji told me unassumingly, that he saw my DP and realised I was his old customer and he readily sent over the stock.
Mr. Devendra makes the best quality bindis !! They stick on your forehead for the whole day and there is no itching. Its good quality gum/wax that he uses. We are now discussing colours that I want since the size is decided.
Do visit his shop if you are in Mumbai or get connected to him over the phone. More importantly do wear a Bindi everyday – whatever size or shape that you like.