View source for Sindoor

{{short description|Traditional vermilion cosmetic powder from the Indian subcontinent}}
{{Distinguish|Operation Sindoor}}
{{for|the films|Sindoor (1947 film)|Sindoor (1987 film)}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
[[File:Sindoor.jpg|thumb|A traditional vermilion red or orange-red colored cosmetic powder]]
[[File:Bengali bride during sindoor daan IMG 7811 1.jpg|thumb|Sindoor daan in [[Bengali Hindu wedding]]]]
[[File:Sindhuram charthal.jpg|thumb|'Sindhooram charthal' ceremony in [[Malayali]] Hindu wedding, [[Kerala]]]]
'''Sindoor''' ({{Langx|hi|सिंदूर}}, {{IAST3|sindūr}}) or '''sindura''' ({{Langx|sa|सिन्दूर}},{{IAST3|sindūra}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=Basu |first=Baman Das |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L0aXR7BtY2MC&pg=PA219 |title=Sri Narada Pancharatnam |date=2007 |publisher=Cosmo Publications |isbn=978-81-307-0539-2 |pages=219 |language=en}}</ref> is a traditional [[vermilion]] red or orange-red or maroon [[Cosmetics|cosmetic]] [[powder (substance)|powder]] from [[South Asia]], usually worn by [[marriage|married]] women along the part of their hairline.<ref name="ref24qumor">{{Cite book |author=Susie J. Tharu, Ke Lalita |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OjZYf9Xf9bcC |title=Women Writing in India: The twentieth century (Volume 2 of Women Writing in India: 600 B.C. to the Present) |date=1993-04-01 |publisher=Feminist Press, 1993 |isbn=978-1-55861-029-3 |quote=''... Sindoor is a red powder worn by married women in the parting of the hair ...''}}</ref> In [[Hindu]] communities, the sindoor is considered auspicious and is a [[Visual markers of marital status|visual marker of marital status of a woman]] and ceasing to wear it usually implies [[widowhood]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-03-04 |title=Sindoor – History and Significance {{!}} Sanskriti - Hinduism and Indian Culture Website |url=https://www.sanskritimagazine.com/sindoor-history-significance/ |access-date=2023-06-11 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Traditional sindoor was made with [[turmeric]] and [[alum]] or [[calcium oxide|lime]], or from other herbal ingredients.<ref name="kapoor">{{cite journal |author=Kapoor, V P |date=July 2007 |title=Kohl and Sindoor: the potential source of lead poisoning |url=https://isebindia.com/05_08/07-07-1.html |journal=EnviroNews <!-- Newsletter of ISEB India --> |volume=13 |issue=3 |access-date=2008-03-09}}</ref> Unlike red lead and vermilion, these are not poisonous.<ref name="kapoor"/><ref name="ht">{{cite web |date=2004-10-12 |title=The Hazards of Synthetic Sindoor |url=https://www.hinduismtoday.com/magazine/october-november-december-2004/2004-10-the-hazards-of-synthetic-sindoor/ |access-date=2008-03-09 |publisher=Hinduism Today}}</ref> Some commercial sindoor products contain synthetic ingredients, some of which are not manufactured to proper standards and may contain lead.<ref name="ref22horoz" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Try a Search |url=https://www.hinduismtoday.com/search-page/}}</ref>

==Etymology==
Sindoor is a traditional vermilion-red or orange-red cosmetic powder used by married women within Hindu communities across [[South Asia]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-12-07 |title=The Sacred Red Powder Every Married Woman Must Wear! Discover Sindoor's Meaning |url=https://brajamandala.com/what-is-sindoor/ |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Indian wedding photography}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2025-05-07 |title=What is Sindoor? A peek into its history & significance in Hindu culture |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/ampstories/lifestyle/what-is-sindoor-a-peek-into-its-history-significance-in-hindu-culture-3528877 |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=[[Deccan Herald]]}}</ref> It is applied along the central parting line of the hair, known as the maang, and indicates marital status and auspicious significance. Its first application is performed by the husband during the wedding ritual called sindoor daan and marks the transition from unmarried to married life.<ref>{{cite web |date=2020-07-24 |title=A brief history of sindoor, the divisive Indian tradition of coloured roots |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/beauty/article/49915/1/a-brief-history-of-sindoor-the-divisive-indian-tradition-of-coloured-roots |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Dazed}}</ref>

The word sindoor is derived from the Sanskrit word siṃdūra, which refers to a bright red pigment, such as red lead or vermilion, and is historically associated in rituals with the brilliance and symbolic power of this color.
This distinguishes it from similar customs, such as the South Indian kumkum.<ref>{{cite web |date=2014-08-03 |title=Sindura, Simdura, Sindūra: 27 definitions |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sindura |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Wisdom Library}}</ref>

==Components==
Traditionally, sindoor is prepared by mixing [[Curcuma longa]] with [[slaked lime]] (calcium hydroxide) and [[Potassium alum|alum]] (potassium aluminum sulfate), wherein the alkaline substance triggers a chemical reaction with turmeric's active compound, [[curcumin]], to produce a bright red pigment safe for skin application.<ref>{{cite web |last=Toys |first=Modi |date=2025-05-08 |title=Understanding Sindoor: Origins, Significance & Modern Practice |url=https://moditoys.com/blogs/culture/understanding-sindoor-origins-significance-modern-practice |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Modi Toys}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Agarwal |first=Rajendra |date=2024-06-14 |title=How is Hanuman Sindoor made? |url=https://pujahome.com/blogs/articles/how-is-hanuman-sindoor-made |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Pujahome}}</ref>

This method, rooted in ancient practices, avoided toxic metals and relied on natural, herbal components for color and binding.<ref>{{cite web |date=2013-10-14 |title=Sindoor |url=https://en.dharmapedia.net/wiki/Sindoor |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Dharmapedia Wiki}}</ref> In some regional variations, such as the South Indian kumkum, powdered minerals like neela pathar (a stone containing mercury) were mixed with powdered turmeric, although pure herbal versions were preferred to mitigate health risks. Over time, traditional formulations incorporated vermilion, a bright red pigment obtained by pulverizing cinnabar ore ([[Mercury(II) sulfide]], HgS). While this provided an intense color, it also raised toxicity concerns due to the presence of mercury.

Unlike purely herbal preparations, cinnabar-derived vermilion required purification to reduce impurities; nevertheless, it remained a primary component of ritual-grade sindoor due to its symbolic brilliance. In modern production, sindoor has largely shifted toward synthetic formulations, using red lead ([[Lead(II,IV) oxide|lead tetroxide]], Pb₃O₄) or industrial azo dyes for coloration. It is often mixed with fillers like cornstarch, fragrances, and binders such as groundnut oil, which enhance adhesion and shelf life.<ref>{{cite web |last=Today |first=Hinduism |date=2004-10-01 |title=The Hazards of Synthetic Sindoor |url=https://www.hinduismtoday.com/magazine/october-november-december-2004/2004-10-the-hazards-of-synthetic-sindoor/ |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Hinduism Today}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2025-03-03 |title=What is the chemical name and formula of sindoor? |url=https://www.vedantu.com/question-answer/chemical-name-and-formula-of-sindoor-class-11-chemistry-cbse-60af182ea989302ed91948e1 |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=vedantu.com}}</ref>

These commercial versions, prevalent since the industrial era, often contain heavy metals like lead and zinc chromate. In 2008, U.S. FDA testing detected lead levels exceeding safe limits in imported sindoor powders.<ref>{{cite web |date=2008-11-03 |title=Sindoor Powder Under FDA Fire for High Lead Content |url=https://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/regulations/regional/news/21845718/sindoor-powder-under-fda-fire-for-high-lead-content |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Cosmetics & Toiletries}}</ref> Artificial vermilion mimics natural HgS without the mercury, but cost-driven production often prioritizes cheaper, unregulated pigments over safety.

Efforts to revive safer alternatives include herbal modern sindoor, which uses plant-based pigments derived from hibiscus flowers, marigolds, and rakt chandan (red sandalwood), mixed with natural binders to mimic traditional non-toxic properties while meeting contemporary demand for lead- and mercury-free products.
These formulations, marketed since the early 2000s, undergo preliminary quality checks, but their standardization varies; peer-reviewed studies have noted inconsistencies in the dye components of commercial [[Kumkuma|''kumkum'']].<ref>{{cite web |last=Lal |first=Surabhi |date=2017-09-25 |title=Suparna Trikha Herbal Floral Sindoor |url=https://sparklewithsurabhi.home.blog/2017/09/25/suparna-trikha-herbal-floral-sindoor/ |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Sparkle With Surabhi}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wagh |first1=Jyoti G |last2=Veerkar |first2=Prachi V |last3=Mittal |first3=Abhilasha |last4=Kumari |first4=Raj |last5=Sharma |first5=Shailesh |last6=Sharma |first6=Sonu |date=2022-07-29 |title=Preparation and evaluation of modified herbal "Kumkum Powder" to reduce allergic reactions |url=https://sciencescholar.us/journal/index.php/ijhs/article/download/11267/9083 |journal=International Journal of Health Sciences |pages=11274–11283 |doi=10.53730/ijhs.v6nS5.11267 |issn=2550-696X |access-date=2025-11-15 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

==History==
===Hindu scripture===
An authoritative source for vermilion is absent within the core Hindu scriptures, including the entire corpus of [[Vedic literature]] ([[Rigveda]], [[Yajurveda]], [[Samaveda]], and [[Atharvaveda]]) and its ancillary texts, such as the [[Grihya Sutras]], which detail domestic rituals. No mention of its application as a marital symbol is made in these texts. Scholarly review confirms its absence also extends to the [[Upanishads]], the [[Ramayana]], and the [[Mahabharata]], as well as early post-Vedic compositions, indicating that the codification of this practice as a religious symbol occurred subsequent to the Vedic period (c. 1500–500 BCE).<ref>{{cite web |last=Chaudhuri |first=Moumita |date=2022-12-04 |title=When's the last time you did not see it? |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/culture/whens-the-last-time-you-did-not-see-it-there-is-no-mystery-to-the-growing-popularity-of-ek-chutki-sindoor/cid/1901866 |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Telegraph India}}</ref>

Its first verifiable mention appears in [[Puranic literature]], specifically in the [[Brahmanda Purana]] (c. 5th–10th century CE), one of the eighteen [[Mahapurana (Hinduism)|Mahapuranas]]. In its [[Lalita Sahasranama]] section, verse 289 describes the dust from the lotus feet of the [[Goddess Lalita]] as "śruti sīmanta sindūrī-kṛta pād’abja dhūlikā". Here, this dust is compared to the vermilion applied to the hair parting (sīmanta) of the personified Shruti (the Vedas), consequently associating this vermilion with divine auspiciousness, fertility, and feminine power.<ref>{{cite web |title=Śhrī Lalitā Sahasra-nāma |url=https://www.symb-ol.org/app/download/22756151/Lalita%2BSahasranama%2B07-18.pdf |access-date=2025-11-15}}</ref> This metaphorical usage elevates vermilion from a mere cosmetic to a sacred symbol associated with the Goddess's adornment, which influenced subsequent Tantric and devotional traditions.<ref>{{cite web |date=2013-07-13 |title=Sindoor: The Real Significance of Sindoor In Hinduism |url=https://www.utsavpedia.com/cultural-connections/colored-with-pride-sindoor/ |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Utsavpedia}}</ref>

Later Puranic texts, such as those recounting [[Parvati|Parvati's]] use of vermilion to ensure [[Shiva|Shiva's]] longevity, build upon this foundation, embedding it within narratives of marital fidelity and cosmic harmony. These compositions, however, reflect a medieval synthesis rather than primordial [[Vedic rituals]]. Although archaeological evidence from the [[Indus Valley Civilisation|Indus Valley Civilization]] (c. 2500 BCE) reveals traces of red pigment on the hair partings of terracotta female figurines suggesting a pre-cultural precedent the definitive Hindu scriptural sanction for vermilion's ritual use originated in the Puranic era. This stands distinct from the earlier scriptural emphasis on fire-based ([[Agni]]) marital vows.<ref>{{cite web |last=Toys |first=Modi |date=2025-05-08 |title=Understanding Sindoor: Origins, Significance & Modern Practice |url=https://moditoys.com/blogs/culture/understanding-sindoor-origins-significance-modern-practice |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Modi Toys}}</ref>

Neolithic female figurines excavated at [[Mehrgarh]], [[Baluchistan]] seem to imply application of sindoor-like colour to the parting of women's hair. According to the legends, [[Radha]], a consort of [[Krishna]], turned the [[kumkum]]a into a flame-like design on her forehead. In the famous epic [[Mahabharata]], [[Draupadi]] the wife of the [[Pandavas]], wipes off her sindoor in disgust and despair at the happenings in [[Hastinapura]]. Use of sindoor is frequently mentioned in the texts ''[[Lalitha Sahasranama|Lalita Sahasranama]]'' and ''[[Soundarya Lahari]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History and Significance of Sindoor |url=https://www.surfindia.com/matrimonials/history-significance-sindoor.html |website=Surfindia.com}}</ref>

[[Adi Shankaracharya]] writes in ''[[Soundarya Lahari]]'':<ref>{{cite web |title=Soundarya Lahari |url=https://www.sankaracharya.org/soundarya_lahari.php |website=sankaracharya.org |translator-first=P. R. |translator-last=Ramachander}}</ref>{{unreliable source|reason=no authorship information|date=November 2025}}

{{quote|{{Verse translation|
{{lang|sa-Latn|tanotu kṣemaṃ naḥ tava
vadana saundaryalaharī
parīvāha-strotaḥ saraṇiriva sīmanta-saraṇiḥ ।
vahantī sindūraṃ prabala kabarī bhāratimira-
dviṣāṃ bṛndair bandī-kṛtamiva navīnārka kiraṇam ॥
}}
|attr1=[[Adi Shankaracharya]], ''[[Soundarya Lahari]]'', 44|
Oh mother, let the line parting thine hairs,
which looks like a channel,
through which the rushing waves of your beauty ebbs,
and which on both sides imprisons,
your [[Vermilion]], which is like a rising sun,
by using your hair which is dark like
the platoon of soldiers of the enemy,
protect us and give us peace.|attr2= translated by P. R. Ramachander}}}}

[[Jainism|Jain]] women apply the sindoor, mostly in the cities. Jain nuns are forbidden to apply this to their hairline or foreheads. The display of the sindoor is considered very important to indicate the married status of the woman,<ref>{{cite book |last=Ahearn |first=Laura M. |title=Invitation to love: Literacy, Love Letters, & Social Change in Nepal |publisher=University of Michigan Press |year=2001 |location=Ann Arbor, Michigan |pages=95}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Selwyn |first=Tom |date=December 1979 |title=Images of Reproduction: An Analysis of a Hindu Marriage Ceremony |journal=[[Man (journal)|Man]] |volume=14 |issue=4 |pages=684–698 |doi=10.2307/2802154 |jstor=2802154}}</ref> however in several local cultures, sindoor is also applied by unmarried women.

===Medieval and colonial era===
Throughout the Middle Ages, spanning the [[Delhi Sultanate]] (1206–1526 AD) and the [[Mughal Empire]] (1526–1857 AD), the practice of using vermilion (sindoor) as a core element of marital identity continued among Hindu women, largely unaffected by the era's prevailing Islamic administrative and cultural frameworks. Hindu communities continued to observe the ‘''[[Sindoor Daan]]''’ (vermilion offering) ceremony in weddings, during which the groom applies vermilion to the bride's hair parting.<ref>{{cite web |date=2013-07-13 |title=Sindoor: The Real Significance of Sindoor In Hinduism |url=https://www.utsavpedia.com/cultural-connections/colored-with-pride-sindoor/ |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Utsavpedia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2018-03-04 |title=Sindoor – History and Significance |url=https://www.sanskritimagazine.com/sindoor-history-significance/ |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Sanskriti - Hinduism and Indian Culture Website}}</ref>

During the colonial era, under the rule of the [[British East India Company]] and later the Crown (1757–1947 AD), vermilion endured as an unaltered Hindu tradition. It managed to evade the regulatory scrutiny applied to practices deemed socially harmful-scrutiny that led to interventions such as the abolition of the Sati custom through the Bengal Sati Regulation of 1829. British anthropologists and administrators noted it in census documents and travelogues as a visible indicator of the status of married Hindu women. During this period, the practice faced indirect pressure from the criticism of Christian missionaries and from emerging Hindu reform movements such as the [[Brahmo Samaj]] (established 1828). In the early twentieth century, amidst the burgeoning nationalist movement, vermilion became a symbol of reclaimed indigenous identity.<ref>{{cite web |date=2025-08-22 |title=Impact of colonialism and Western influence on Hinduism |url=https://fiveable.me/introduction-hinduism/unit-11/impact-colonialism-western-influence-hinduism/study-guide/H1OWJcVTPRRla0S0 |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Fiveable}}</ref>

===Contemporary practice and adaptation===
In modern Hindu communities, sindoor remains a traditional marker of marital status. Married women regularly apply it to their hair parting in daily life, at weddings, and during festivals like [[Durga Puja]] as a symbol of devotion and auspiciousness.<ref>{{cite web |last=Agarwal |first=Rajendra |date=2024-07-09 |title=The Significance of Sindoor in Indian Marriage |url=https://pujahome.com/blogs/articles/significance-of-sindoor-in-indian-marriage |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Pujahome}}</ref> Its use continues across urban and rural India. Surveys indicate that over 70% of married Hindu women from traditional families observe this custom as a visible token of fidelity, though adherence varies by region and socioeconomic factors.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Dahal |first=Bishnu Prasad |date=2021-08-24 |title=Significance of Sindoor (Vermilion Powder) in Hindu Marriage Rituals |url=https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/res/article/download/0/0/45830/48832 |journal=Review of European Studies |volume=13 |issue=3 |page=76 |doi=10.5539/res.v13n3p76 |issn=1918-7181 |access-date=2025-11-15 |doi-access=free}}</ref> In formal contexts, its application retains its traditional centrality during the wedding "''Sindoor Daan''" ceremony (when the groom applies the sindoor to the bride's parting).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Debnath |first1=Suchismita |last2=Behera |first2=Adyasha |last3=Bbbb |first3=Aaaa |date=2020-10-25 |title=Can 'not wearing Sindoor' unhitch heavenly knots? |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/readersblog/paraswrites007/can-not-wearing-sindoor-unhitch-heavenly-knots-27474/ |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Times of India Blog}}</ref>

In fashion-conscious contexts, sindoor is styled creatively applied lightly for a subtle touch or paired with Western attire to blend tradition with modernity.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ojha |first=Swechchha |date=2022-06-24 |title=6 Different Ways to Style Your Sindoor Like a Diva |url=https://www.facescanada.com/blogs/beauty/6-different-ways-to-style-your-sindoor-like-a-diva |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Faces Canada}}</ref> Among diaspora Hindus in the [[United States]] and the [[United Kingdom]], its use persists at cultural events but is often optional. Some women cite a preference for personal choice over mandatory symbolism amidst evolving gender norms.<ref>{{cite web |date=2020-07-24 |title=A brief history of sindoor, the divisive Indian tradition of coloured roots |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/beauty/article/49915/1/a-brief-history-of-sindoor-the-divisive-indian-tradition-of-coloured-roots |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Dazed}}</ref>

==Application==
[[File:Durga Puja Celebration in Nagaon, Assam.jpg|thumb|Women smear each other with vermillion as part of the exuberant Durga Puja festival celebrations in Nagaon, Assam, India.]]
[[File:Expression of love Just after sindur dan P1260555.jpg|thumb|Bride with sindoor in hair-parting]]
[[File:Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas in 2018.jpg|thumb|Sindoor worn by [[Priyanka Chopra]] after her marriage with [[Nick Jonas]]]]
Sindoor is traditionally applied at the beginning or completely along the parting (hair is usually parted straight down the middle) of a woman's hair (also called {{lang|hi-Latn|mang}} in Hindi or {{lang|sa-Latn|simandarekha}} in Sanskrit). Sindoor is the mark of a married woman in [[Hinduism]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Narayanan |first=Vasudha |date=29 May 2018 |title=Tilaka and Other Forehead Marks |url=https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/brill-s-encyclopedia-of-hinduism/*-COM_9000000187 |website=Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism Online}}</ref> Single women wear the bindi (a [[Bindi (decoration)|dot on the forehead]]) in different colours for special occasions but do not apply sindoor in their parting of the hairline. Widows do not wear sindoor or [[bindi (decoration)|bindis]], signifying that their husband is no longer alive.

The sindoor is first applied to the woman by her husband on the day of her wedding; this is called the Sindoor Danam ceremony. After this, she applies it herself every day.

A similar colouring ritual is known as pasupu kumkuma, named after another name for sindoor, [[kumkuma]].

The wiping off of the sindoor is very significant for a widow. There are many rituals associated with this practice. The most common is when a mother-in-law or older sister-in-law wipes off the sindoor when a woman becomes a widow. In a few traditional Indian practices, the widow breaks her bangles, removes her bindi, and removes ornaments, such as her nose ring and toe rings. The parting of hair is symbolic of a river of red blood full of life. When the sindoor is removed then the river becomes barren, dry and empty. This custom is prevalent in rural areas and is followed by all castes and social ranks.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

The red sindoor is significant for the married woman as she is full of colour. When she becomes a widow she adopts plain white dress and removes all colour from her face including the bright red sindoor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-01-16 |title=Why is sindoor considered so important in Indian marriages |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/love-sex/why-is-sindoor-considered-so-important-in-indian-marriages/articleshow/80282520.cms |access-date=2023-06-11 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-05 |title=Hindu marriage rituals: Know the significance of Sindoor |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/spiritual/religion/article/hindu-marriage-rituals-know-the-significance-of-sindoor/690726 |access-date=2023-06-11 |website=Times Now |language=en}}</ref>

Methods and styles of applying the sindoor vary from personal choice to regional customs. Most new brides part their hair in the middle and fill it with sindoor, while other married women may just apply a red spot at the end of the hair line and forehead. Recently, a triangle shape on the forehead pointing towards the nose, with a diamond bindi for fashion, is being worn by younger women.<!--Unreliable source: anonymous blog <ref>{{Cite web |date=22 March 2017 |title=What is sindoor? All you need to know about this Indian tradition |url=https://indianfashionlife.com/sindoor/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129212026/http://www.indianfashionlife.com/how-to-put-sindoor-on-forehead.html/ |archivedate=29 November 2016 |website=Fashion Tips}}</ref>--><ref>{{cite web |last=Lakshmi |first=V. |date=8 January 2015 |title=Fashion that defies customs |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/fashion/trends/Fashion-that-defies-customs/articleshow/42701689.cms |access-date=9 November 2025 |work=The Times of India}}</ref>

==Ayurvedic medicinal use==
'''Rasasindura''', the [[Ayurveda|Ayurvedic]] form of sindoor, is a traditional herbo-mineral preparation. It is primarily composed of alpha-mercuric sulfide (HgS, >99% pure) and is obtained through the controlled calcination of purified [[Mercury (element)|mercury]] and [[sulfur]] with herbal auxiliaries.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Biswas |first1=Snehasis |last2=Bellare |first2=Jayesh |year=2022 |title=Explaining Ayurvedic preparation of Rasasindura, its toxicological effects on NIH3T3 cell line and zebrafish larvae |journal=Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine |publisher=Elsevier BV |volume=13 |issue=2 |page=100518 |doi=10.1016/j.jaim.2021.08.011 |pmid=34857444 |pmc=8728081 |issn=0975-9476 |doi-access=free}}</ref> In classical texts such as the ''[[Rasaratna Samuchaya|Rasaratna Samuccaya]]'', it is classified as a ''[[Rasayana]]'' and is valued for its purported [[Rejuvenation|rejuvenating]] (rasayana) and bio-enhancing (yogavahi) properties. To mitigate its potential toxicity, it is typically administered in low doses (62.5–125 mg) with adjuvants like honey or ghee.<ref>{{cite web |date=2012-07-01 |title=Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects, Ingredients |url=https://ayurmedinfo.com/2012/07/01/ras-sindoor-benefits-dosage-side-effects-ingredients/ |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=Ras Sindoor}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Biswas |first1=Snehasis |last2=Bellare |first2=Jayesh |date=2020 |title=Ayurvedic processing of α-HgS gives novel physicochemistry and distinct toxicokinetics in zebrafish |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0045653520304884 |journal=Chemosphere |volume=251 |article-number=126295 |doi=10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126295 |pmid=32143074 |bibcode=2020Chmsp.25126295B |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref>

Medicinally, Rasasindura is used for the management of chronic fever (jvara), jaundice (kamala), and respiratory ailments such as cough and asthma. It is believed to balance the doshas, particularly Vata and Kapha, and enhance Agni (digestive fire).<ref>{{cite web |date=2024-09-21 |title=Rasasindura: Significance and symbolism |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/concept/rasasindura |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=Wisdom Library; The portal for Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Jainism, Mesopotamia etc...}}</ref> In cardiac conditions (hridroga), it is indicated to strengthen cardiac function and alleviate colicky pain (shulavedana). Furthermore, in cases of urinary tract issues (mutrakricchra) and fistula (bhagandara), it is thought to aid in tissue repair and reduce inflammation.<ref>{{cite web |date=2024-10-17 |title=Ras Sindoor: Boost Heart, Digestion, And Lung Health Naturally |url=https://panaceayur.com/ras-sindoor/ |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=Panaceayur}}</ref>

Its other applications include supportive therapy for the nervous system, such as in hemiplegia or paralysis (pakshaghata), cognitive enhancement (medhya), and boosting immunity (ojas vardhana). Efficacy is also claimed in conditions such as sexual debility, syphilis-like conditions, and rheumatoid arthritis (amavata).<ref>{{cite journal |last4=Sakhitha Ks |last3=Rajendra Prasad Sharma |last2=Vashishtha |last1=Neha Meena |date=2023-01-15 |title=Review on Malla Sindoor- An Effective Rasoushadhi |url=https://ayushdhara.in/index.php/ayushdhara/article/view/1111/909 |journal=Ayushdhara |publisher=Mahadev Publications |pages=105–110 |doi=10.47070/ayushdhara.v9i6.1111 |issn=2393-9591 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

The herbal form of sindoor, derived from plants like [[Bixa orellana]] or a turmeric-lime mixture, is used externally as a paste or poultice (lepa), such as in '<nowiki/>''Sindooradi Lepam''<nowiki/>', to enhance skin radiance, promote wound healing, and reduce pigmentation through its anti-inflammatory effects.<ref>{{cite web |date=2024-04-25 |title=Sindoor: The Herbal Wonder for Skin Healing and Beyond |url=https://ojsp.in/blog/sindoor-the-herbal-wonder-for-skin-healing-and-beyond |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=OJSP Ayurved & Foods}}</ref> These preparations emphasize the '''[[shodhana]]''<nowiki/>' (purification) process to make the minerals bioavailable and mitigate risks. However, the clinical validation for these uses is rooted in classical tradition rather than modern testing.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gokarn |first1=RohitA |last2=Rajput |first2=DhirajS |last3=Patgiri |first3=Biswajyoti |year=2012 |title=Pharmaceutical standardization of Samaguna Bali Jarita Rasasindura prepared by conventional and modified method |journal=Ancient Science of Life |publisher=Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) |volume=31 |issue=3 |pages=123–128 |doi=10.4103/0257-7941.103191 |pmid=23284218 |pmc=3530336 |issn=0257-7941 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

==Toxicity concerns==
Traditional sindoor was made with [[turmeric]] and [[alum]] or [[calcium oxide|lime]], or from other herbal ingredients. The turmeric powder becomes red when mixed with lime juice or lime powder.<ref name="kapoor"/> Unlike red lead and vermilion, these are not poisonous.<ref name="kapoor"/><ref name="ht"/> Modern material being sold as sindoor mainly uses vermilion, an orange-red pigment, the purified and powdered form of [[cinnabar]], which is the chief form in which [[mercury sulfide]] naturally occurs. As with other compounds of mercury, sindoor is toxic and must be handled carefully. Sometimes, [[lead tetroxide|red lead]] (lead tetroxide, also known as [[Minium (pigment)|minium]]) is added to sindoor.<ref name="ref22horoz">{{Cite journal |year=1973 |title=Indian pediatrics, Volume 10 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zkc7AAAAIAAJ |publisher=Indian Academy of Pediatrics |quote=''... Sindoor (vermilion), a red powder applied to the scalp, is often used by married Indian women, especially of an orthodox Hindu background. ''}}</ref> Red lead is toxic. In early 2008, allegations of high lead content led the U.S. [[Food and Drug Administration]] to recall batches of sindoor from several manufacturers.<ref name="ibn">{{cite web |date=2008-03-04 |title=After sindoor, bindi taken off American shelves |url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/after-sindoor-bindi-taken-off-american-shelves/60433-17.html |access-date=2008-03-09 |publisher=IBN Live}}</ref>

==In popular literature, culture and nationalism==
===Literature===
In Hindu mythological narratives, sindoor is depicted as a symbol of wifely devotion and the husband's longevity. A popular folktale associated with the [[Ramayana]] recounts that while in captivity in [[Lanka]], [[Sita]] applied sindoor to her hair partition to ensure [[Lord Ram|Lord Ram's]] long life; upon learning this from Sita, Hanuman covered his entire body with sindoor to magnify this blessing for Ram.<ref>{{cite web |last=Shah |first=Sunita |date=2022-02-15 |title=Why Do Women Apply Sindoor? |url=https://thejaijais.com/blogs/sunitas-blog/why-do-women-apply-sindoor |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=The Jai Jais}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2020-07-24 |title=A brief history of sindoor, the divisive Indian tradition of coloured roots |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/beauty/article/49915/1/a-brief-history-of-sindoor-the-divisive-indian-tradition-of-coloured-roots |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=Dazed}}</ref>

Similar symbolic associations appear in interpretations of the [[Mahabharata]], where [[Draupadi]] is said to have erased her sindoor in moments of profound loss, such as after the [[Pandava|Pandavas]]' defeat in the game of dice.<ref>{{cite web |date=2025-09-14 |title=Why Draupadi Almost Wiped Her Sindoor, Why She Took A Vow To Wash Her Hair With Dushasan Blood |url=https://m-english.webdunia.com/article/hinduism-fables/when-draupadi-almost-wiped-her-sindoor-why-she-took-a-vow-to-wash-her-hair-with-dushasan-blood-125091400011_1.html |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=Webdunia}}</ref>

In modern Indian literature, sindoor recurs as a motif of traditional marital obligations. In novels and short stories depicting women's inner lives amid changing gender norms, its socio-cultural weight is frequently criticized or affirmed.

===Film===

In Indian cinema, sindoor serves as a recurring visual symbol of marital status, devotion, and tragedy, often employed in melodramatic scenes to raise the emotional stakes. [[Bollywood]] films titled [[Sindoor (1947 film)|'Sindoor' (1947)]] and [[Sindoor (1987 film)|'Sindoor' (1987)]] explicitly center sindoor in their narratives. The latter film, starring [[Rekha]] and [[Jeetendra]], revolves around a woman's presumed widowhood, subsequent remarriage, and the dramatic reapplication of sindoor upon her first husband's return.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shwenk |first1=Martin |last2=Murthy |first2=Narayana |last3=Poonawalla |first3=Adar |last4=Jain |first4=Manu |last5=Kamath |first5=Nitin |date=2025-05-07 |title=Coincidence? Two 'Sindoor' Bollywood movies now linked to India's bold military operation 'Sindoor' against Pakistan |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/coincidence-two-sindoor-bollywood-movies-now-linked-to-indias-bold-military-operation-sindoor-against-pakistan/articleshow/120952578.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=The Economic Times}}</ref> Others are ''[[Rakta Sindhuram]]'' (1985), ''[[Sindoor (film)|Sindoor]]'' (1987), and ''[[Sindoor Tere Naam Ka]]'' (series, 2005–2007). In the 2007 film [[Om Shanti Om]], an iconic dialogue delivered by actress [[Deepika Padukone]] is ''Ek chutki sindoor ki keemat, tum kya jaano Ramesh Babu?'' (The value of a pinch of sindoor, what do you know about it Ramesh Babu?)

===Modern symbolism in nationalism===
In retaliation for an [[2025 Pahalgam attack|attack on Hindu pilgrims in Pahalgam]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], on May 5, 2025, which killed at least 26 people, the Indian government launched '[[Operation Sindoor]]' in May 2025 to conduct targeted military strikes against terrorist infrastructure in [[Pakistan]] and [[Pakistan-occupied Kashmir]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Dutta |first=Nirmalya |date=2025-05-10 |title=Sindoor, Shakti, and Symbolism: How Pahalgam payback united almost every Indian against Pakistan |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sindoor-shakti-and-symbolism-how-pahalgam-payback-united-almost-every-indian-against-pakistan/articleshow/121050897.cms |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Mehra |first=Tanya |date=2025-05-21 |title=Operation Sindoor: a turning point for India in addressing terrorism in Kashmir? |url=https://icct.nl/publication/operation-sindoor-turning-point-india-addressing-terrorism-kashmir |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=International Centre for Counter-Terrorism - ICCT}}</ref> The operation's name explicitly referenced the sindoor that married Hindu women wear to signify saubhagya (auspiciousness) and marital fidelity, invoking it as a metaphor for restoring national and cultural honor. Government statements framed the attack as an assault on Hindu marital sanctity and accused the terrorists of "wiping the sindoor" from the partitions of widows.<ref>{{cite web |last1=K.B. |first1=Pragati |last2=Das |first2=Anupreeta |date=2025-05-07 |title=The Symbolism Behind India's 'Operation Sindoor' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/07/world/asia/india-operation-sindoor-name.html |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Chowdhury |first=Kavita |date=2025-05-15 |title=India Deploys Emotive Symbolism of Women in the India-Pakistan Military Conflict |url=https://thediplomat.com/2025/05/india-deploys-emotive-symbolism-of-women-in-the-india-pakistan-military-conflict/ |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific Current Affairs Magazine}}</ref> This symbolic application inflamed Hindu nationalist discourse.<ref>{{cite web |date=2025-10-08 |title=India's Operation Sindoor and the rise of moral deterrence |url=https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-869736 |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=The Jerusalem Post}}</ref>

However, left-leaning media outlets criticized this naming as a patriarchal co-optation for [[jingoism]], attributing it to Brahmanical undertones.<ref>{{cite web |last=Banerjee |first=Sanhati |date=2025-06-09 |title=Operation Sindoor: Weaponising Patriarchy in Nationalist Rhetoric |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/social-issues/gender/operation-sindoor-hindutva-patriarchy-women-dissent-feminism/article69674791.ece |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=Frontline}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Agarwal |first=Jigyasa |date=2025-05-09 |title=The Indian government's weaponisation of gender in Operation Sindoor |url=https://www.ids.ac.uk/opinions/the-indian-governments-weaponisation-of-gender-in-operation-sindoor/ |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=Institute of Development Studies}}</ref>

Sindoor has sporadically appeared in rallies and iconography within the broader nationalist movement. For example, during the 2024 Ayodhya celebrations, female activists publicly applied it to assert Hindu identity amid debates on the [[Uniform Civil Code]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Sahu |first=S.N. |date=2025-05-26 |title=Gandhi's and Modi's Reflections on 'Sindoor' Are Poles Apart |url=https://thewire.in/politics/gandhis-and-modis-reflections-on-sindoor-are-poles-apart |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=The Wire}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Bindi (decoration)|Bindi]]
* [[Tilaka]]
* [[Vermilion]]
* [[Mangala sutra]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Sindoor}}
{{wikiquote}}

{{Indian wedding}}
{{Bengali wedding}}
{{cosmetics}}
{{Worship in Hinduism}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cosmetics]]
[[Category:Hairdressing]]
[[Category:Marriage in Hinduism]]
[[Category:Bengali Hindu cultures]]