Sindoor
Sindoor (Sanskrit: सिन्दूर, IAST: sindūra) or sindura[1] is a traditional vermilion red or orange-red cosmetic powder from the Indian subcontinent, usually worn by married women along the part of their hairline.[2] In Hindu communities, the sindoor is a visual marker of marital status of a woman and ceasing to wear it usually implies widowhood.[3]
For the films, see Sindoor (1947 film) and Sindoor (1987 film).Traditional sindoor was made with turmeric and alum or lime, or from other herbal ingredients.[4] Unlike red lead and vermilion, these are not poisonous.[4][5] Some commercial sindoor products contain synthetic ingredients, some of which are not manufactured to proper standards and may contain lead.[6][7]
Toxicity concerns[edit]
Traditional sindoor was made with turmeric and alum or lime, or from other herbal ingredients.[4] Unlike red lead and vermilion, these are not poisonous.[4][5] 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, red lead (lead tetroxide, also known as minium) is added to sindoor.[6] 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.[19]
In popular culture[edit]
There are many Indian movies and dramas involving sindoor, with their themes revolving around the ritual's significance. These include Sindoor (1947), Sindooram (1976), Rakta Sindhuram (1985), Sindoor (1987), and Sindoor Tere Naam Ka (series, 2005–2007).