How Did the Bindi Become a Fashion Statement

As an Indian kid in the U.s., I never wore bindis to school out of fear of what others would think and say, and I was never pressured to as I'm sure my parents idea similarly. The perception of bindis has definitely inverse in contempo years, however, as bindis accept had their off-white share of the spotlight in the last few years as the conversation about cultural appropriation has expanded. Much of the talk about bindis concerns music festivals, with many of the people at that place, celebrities and others, wearing the touted "face jewel" on their foreheads.

However, bindis are so much more a fashion argument – they are role of Hinduism and the corresponding culture. Speaking as one Indian Hindu of around a billion, I usually have no problem with non-Hindu women wearing a bindi, but it is sad to encounter it used simply as a fashion statement with little to no appreciation for the rich religion and civilisation information technology comes from.

My mother, sister, and I wearing bindis

One of the common arguments for people who believe wearing the bindi is cultural appropriation is its religious significance. However, almost Hindus, especially those who did not grow upwards in India, do not completely understand the religious significance of the bindi.

Take me for case: I am Indian and have visited India several times for a significant portion of my life, but I did non know the significance of the bindi for almost of my life. Even at present, I don't completely sympathize its significance. Nevertheless, in that location are obviously many millions of people around the world that practice know its significance, and they all differ in what they think about non-Hindus wearing bindis, but many of them do retrieve information technology is offensive to wear bindis for fashion, which should, in my opinion, exist a deterrent to wearing the bindi in the first place.

What you're wearing to look cute at a music festival is an important religious symbol in one of the biggest, most-widely followed religions in the world. Information technology would be okay if it was something that was solely cultural, only wearing something that has a religious connotation simply for the sake of fashion isn't right, nor will information technology ever be.

Indians are generally pretty tolerant people with the condition that you lot're doing things with good intention. Thus, many Hindus volition exist offended when they run across people at a place like Coachella wearing intricate bindis. There is a fine line betwixt appreciation and cribbing, and when someone appreciates Hinduism/Indian culture, be information technology wearing a bindi every bit a token of appreciation or watching a Bollywood film, they unremarkably won't be upset or offended at all.

I went to a high schoolhouse with a lot of other Indians, so people who weren't Indian would occasionally wear salwar kameezes to 1 of their classmate'southward political party, and they would often wear a bindi forth with it. Because they knew what they were doing and had good intentions, the Indians in that location wouldn't heed. The biggest club at my high schoolhouse was the Indian American Educatee Clan, and people of all races and ethnicities would participate in the cultural show each yr, and no one would ever brand a fit about non-Indians wearing Indian clothes and bindis. We were proud to see that there were and so many people affectionate our culture, especially since we live and then far away from Bharat and thus aren't always exposed to things that remind the states of home.

This comes back to the chief distinction between appreciating and appropriating a civilization. 9 times out of 10, wearing a bindi to a music festival definitely isn't cultural appreciation. I doubt people are thinking of Hinduism when they put a bindi on their brow while getting ready for a music festival.

I'm not telling you not to a vesture a bindi. I love my religion and civilisation and would beloved for others to be able to feel it without having to travel across the earth. I'm but suggesting that yous take a 2d to fully comprehend what you lot're doing and the meaning behind that little piece of body jewelry in your latest Insta. Before the bindi became a mode argument and a common sight at music festivals, it was (and continues to be) a religious symbol, so have some time to respect that earlier you wear one.

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