In a Hindu wedding, the red powder traditionally applied to the bride’s hair parting is sindoor.
Sindoor is a vermilion-colored cosmetic powder associated with married Hindu women, especially in parts of northern and eastern India. During the marriage ceremony, the groom may place it along the bride’s hair parting, a gesture commonly interpreted as marking her married status.
The tradition is not identical across all Hindu communities. Some women wear sindoor daily, while others use it mainly for ceremonies or festivals. Regional customs also differ in the ingredients, application, and social meaning. Kumkum is a related red forehead powder, but it is not the specific term for the hair-parting mark.
Sindoor is often confused with bindi, which is worn on the forehead and can have religious, cultural, or decorative meanings. The two are separate symbols, although both may appear in wedding dress and portraiture.