In a traditional Hindu wedding, the red mark that a married woman may wear in the parting of her hair is called sindoor.
Sindoor is a red cosmetic powder traditionally applied along the hair parting, known as the maang. In many Hindu communities, its use is associated with married status, although practices differ by region, caste, family, and individual choice. In some wedding ceremonies, the groom applies it to the bride’s hair parting as part of the marriage rites.
The color red has broad associations with auspiciousness, fertility, and prosperity in South Asian traditions. Sindoor is not a universal requirement for Hindu women, and modern practice ranges from regular wearing to occasional or no use.
A bindi is normally worn on the forehead and is not the same as sindoor. Mehndi is henna body art, while tilak is a forehead mark used in several religious and cultural contexts.