Traditionally made of
sandlewood paste, the red colored dot is worn on the face, usually just above the middle of the brow in
Indian culture.
More recently, the bindhi drop (known by many names including pottu and tilakam) is made with the paste of tumeric, a spice very similar in texture to paprika.
Long before Madonna or Gwen Stefani began sporting bindhis for fashion, it was used to signify many things. The first known appearance of the bindhi was in the 2nd or 3rd century A.D. where it appeared on a sculpture of the Buddha.
On men, it is worn for religious devotions and ceremony and is commonly referred to as tilak or urna. For women, the bindhi (or kumkum) may be used to signify marital status. Many women will rub off the bindhi when they are menstruating. For others, the location of the bindhi has a more spiritual reason (third eye) and fits in with meditation and yoga practices.