THE SPOT OF CULTURE

The spot of culture in its different types

Photo credits: Mrudvi Bakshi

Every society is bestowed with a unique culture and tradition, which binds them with the other members who form the community. The essence of any country lies in its culture, its people and its traditions. From Arab ladies wearing naqabs to Muslim girls wearing scarf’s to Hindu’s wearing religious pendants, it’s all a reflection of its great authenticity.
Indians form the most predominant population of the U.A.E, and hence the customs they follow are equally widespread.

It is in human nature to interpret and hence make an understanding of what we see, but has anyone ever realized of those minute things which speaks volumes.
I was just walking past the crowded streets of Meena Bazaar, just a day before the auspicious Diwali festival. Shops were bustling with female shoppers, mostly ladies, shops beaming with boards of sale, people dressed in their best of ethnic clothes. It looked like everyone was taken over by the festive spirit.

As a regular shopper I was also making my way to the best shop-Poshak in the street of the Bazaar, when I happened to notice one thing which one would be expected least to observe. Ladies beautifully dressed, were flashing bright and attractive “bindis”. From plain black bindis to stone studded bindis, the variety was far beyond imagination. Traditionally bindi is a dot of red color applied in the center of the forehead close to the eyebrows. It has been a decorative item and today is no longer restricted to any shape or color and is a visually captivating form of body decoration.

This showed that women even in the U.A.E though miles away from their homes still preserve and respect their culture despite the odds of it being an Arab driven society.
I am wearing bindi from my childhood, says Vimla Shanmugam a Tamilan. We were told that wearing bindi’s everyday will fetch you a good husband in the future, and so it is indeed compulsory.

Seeing the increasing demand of designer bindi’s, shops do not loose out on an opportunity to profit from this situation. Raj, salesman at Roopam says, “Designer bindi’s imported from India come at 70 Rs each. We sell it at Dhs 10, making a profit of Dhs 3 for ourselves,”
Bindis earlier were worn to signify age, marital status, ethnicity and religious background, and to my surprise ladies still believe in wearing it holding the same notion. The vermilion traditionally know as bindi is also called ‘ sindoor’.

After marriage it becomes a must to wear it, as sindoor is the binding factor of the institution of marriage and is for long life of our husaband.” says Padma, a housewife.

Photo credits: Mrudvi Bakshi

Vijay profits from selling bindis We all know that bindi’s is a flourishing business back in India, especially Mumbai, and what we get here is nothing but the best of Mumbai. Well but I came across a shop which sold bindi’s imported to them from China as well. “White stone bindi’s is what we get from China, and sincerely speaking they are highly in demand. So we have no complaints”, says Vijay of Pretty Fashions.

Radhakrishnan, Madhu textiles and accessories
Photo credits: Mrudvi Bakshi

For Radhakrishnan, at Madhu accessories,selling bindi’s is not so thriving. “We have old stocks of bindi’s lying in our shop as we have less than a

handful of customers in a day. The reason being we are the only shop not selling designer bindi’s and keeping plain ones worn mostly on a daily basis.
Talking to shopkeepers and women, I came to realize how noteworthy this one dot could be, its significance larger than its structure.