Bangles, a must wear for married women
@Professor2010 (20162)
India
September 12, 2010 1:29am CST
Friends, in our Hindu religion, 
, the married women whose husband is alive, must wear bangles made from ‘GLASS’, the color is usually red, but other colors too are worn. In addition to this they put a spot in the middle of forehead. This is using RED VERMILLION; we call this as ‘sindur’.
A widow never uses glass bangles and this red spot. She can wear bangles of metal or plastic etc. When the husband dies, the glass bangles are broken and the red spot is wiped away as part of ritual. During Hindu marriages the groom puts this vermillion on the forehead and parting line of hairs of his bride.
Unmarried girls wear glass, plastic, metal bangles, bracelets of their choice.
I am sharing a tradition of ours, hope you like this, please share your views.
Do you wear bangles; wear anything on the forehead?
Professor
, the married women whose husband is alive, must wear bangles made from ‘GLASS’, the color is usually red, but other colors too are worn. In addition to this they put a spot in the middle of forehead. This is using RED VERMILLION; we call this as ‘sindur’.
A widow never uses glass bangles and this red spot. She can wear bangles of metal or plastic etc. When the husband dies, the glass bangles are broken and the red spot is wiped away as part of ritual. During Hindu marriages the groom puts this vermillion on the forehead and parting line of hairs of his bride.
Unmarried girls wear glass, plastic, metal bangles, bracelets of their choice.
I am sharing a tradition of ours, hope you like this, please share your views.
Do you wear bangles; wear anything on the forehead?
Professor3 people like this
11 responses
@bluemoonpavilion (4658)
• Singapore
13 Sep 10
Very interesting tradition.
Sometimes we like to buy the bangles from the Indian shops here to wear for fun and as an accessory. When I went to India, we visited a Hindu shop and they painted a spot of red on my forehead, and I had a picture of that.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
13 Sep 10
Which place you visited dear?
Thanks for sharing.
Welcome always, cheers.
Professor. .
@bluemoonpavilion (4658)
• Singapore
14 Sep 10
It was a Buddhist pilgrimage tour for us, we went to the holy places like Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kusinara, Sravasti, Rajgir, Vaishali and Nalanda. Of course we also went to visit the Taj Mahal. It was an exciting trip for me.
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
13 Sep 10
Yes jenny, you can know if married or not..
In Bali there are many from my state, legend says, traders from Orissa went there by ships and boats..
Thanks for sharing.
Welcome always, cheers.
Professor. .
@moneyshareinc (26)
• Philippines
13 Sep 10
I often see the red dot on Indian women but does not know what it's called and what it means until I read your post.
I'm from the Philippines & married women here follow the Western tradition of wearing a wedding ring on the right middle finger. But for widows, some not all follow the local tradition of wearing a black attire for a whole year. Some widows even wear black the rest of their lives in memory of their husbands.
Like my teacher in highschool who really loved her husband. But in the end , she get to meet this very nice guy & they eventually got married. So it's a happy ending and she's back to wearing a wedding ring!
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
2 Apr 11
Hi. Professor2010. I can see that your culture has a very unique way of expressing their heritage. My grandmother is mixed with Indian. I am not sure of how her mother expressed their Indian culture though. I love bangles and I think that they are lovely and beautiful to wear. It defines a woman's character and it expresses her quality of style as well.
My grandmother is mixed with Indian. I am not sure of how her mother expressed their Indian culture though. I love bangles and I think that they are lovely and beautiful to wear. It defines a woman's character and it expresses her quality of style as well.1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
3 Apr 11
Glad to know about your grand mother, she might be wearing bangles.
Thanks for sharing the details
Cheers.
God bless you, have a nice day ahead.
Professor ‘Bhuwan’. .
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
13 Sep 10
Very interesting. Thank you for the insight. After a woman is widowed, is she then again allowed to remarry if the chance arises or is that not considered in your traditions? Here in the states we wear the wedding rings/bands after marriage. No traditions as far as if one spouse is widowed or not. They may choose to keep their rings on or choose to take them off.
1 person likes this
@tigeraunt (6326)
• Philippines
13 Sep 10
dear professor,
always one in india will know who is single and who is married. what a tradition! 
the loyalty of a wife to her husband can be seen. 
am just curious, what about if the single girl wants to wear glass bangles in the color of red?
ann
the loyalty of a wife to her husband can be seen.
am just curious, what about if the single girl wants to wear glass bangles in the color of red?
ann1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
13 Sep 10
Hi Anny dear, yes 'SHE CAN'; I have said this in the discussion,'Unmarried girls wear glass, plastic, metal bangles, bracelets of their choice' .
Thanks for response.
Welcome always, cheers.
Professor. .
@asja1388 (131)
•
12 Sep 10
Thats really interesting- I dont have any Hindu friends so didnt know that. I love other cultures and getting to know the customs. The only thing I do is wearing a wedding ring- thats all. Its really a shame the western world is loosing their customs...
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
13 Sep 10
Welcome to my discussions asja
Thanks for sharing your opinion.
Welcome always, cheers.
Professor. .
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
13 Sep 10
Thanks for sharing things at your place.
Welcome always, cheers.
Professor. .
@atv818 (1980)
• United Arab Emirates
12 Sep 10
Well, the only thing that we were are wedding rings for married women in my native land. Since I ride jeepneys all the time, I rarely wear them for fear that I might lose it to robbers. I just wear it during special occasions or when I ride in a private car.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
13 Sep 10
You are right friend, take care always..
Thanks for sharing things at your place.
Welcome always, cheers.
Professor. .
@johnpillai (2082)
• Germany
12 Sep 10
I live in Germany. I used to wear jeans, top, and pullover in my day to day life. I don't wear jewallerys in my day to day life. As a christian I don't wear pottu also. I got used to that. Whenever I got to ceremanies like wedding I wear saaree and jewellarys and pottu also. Once I visited My parents who are living in Tamil Nadu. My mother asked me to wear saree. so i wore saree, jewells and pottu all.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
13 Sep 10
Glad to know you are from Tamilnad Mrs Pillai, from the name i knew you are indian and from south..
Thanks for sharing your views.Do you wear Saree blouse during functions in Germany?
Welcome always, cheers.
Professor. .
@puccagirl (7294)
• Israel
12 Sep 10
I am not Hindu, so I guess this does not really apply to me, but reading this was very interesting for me, since I had no idea about this. So thanks for sharing this information! Looking forward to reading the replies too!
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
13 Sep 10
That is the charm of mylot, we learn about each othere traditions..
Thanks for responding.
Welcome always, cheers.
Professor. .
@chhetp1 (467)
• India
12 Sep 10
In fact, I have noticed these days that the tourists from west, who come to India and Nepal have been so moved by the tradition that they can't resist in trying the cultural red sarees and beautifully glittering bangles. One can easily find these kind of western enthusiast around the Paharganj in Delhi and Thamel area in Kathmandu. I feel the woman in the sarees and bangles are the most beautiful of all. Although I won't believe in the controversial and orthodox rituals, This however has deep meaning in my life too.
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
13 Sep 10
You are right friend, i have seen foreign tourists wearing sarees enjoying them..
Thanks for detailed response.
Welcome always, cheers.
Professor. .
