Humankind strives to have an identity for a sense of community and belonging. Followers of the Hindu tradition are no different. Language, customs and practices, clothing, and naming conventions are examples of different identifiers. Symbolic marks are a major differentiating identifier among the different sects of Hindu tradition. Applicable to both men and women, traditionalists call these visual identifiers tilak or urdhva pundra. The style and shape of this identifier vary by sect and ethnic group. Upanishads describe philosophical principles and scriptural diktats in sets of three, and Hindu traditionalists applied the convention of three to define the tilak’s style and shape. The Upanishadic principles in sets of three are:

Modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance

Manifestation, sustenance, and dissolution define the cosmic time cycle

Waking, dreaming, and deep sleep states

Religion, with its theistic outlook, linked the tilak and code of three to represent deities. The most common ones are a “U” with a line or dot in between or three horizontal lines. The two vertical lines of the U represent the feet of a supreme deity and the line or dot in between represents the feminine form. When the identifier is of three horizontal lines, it could mean to represent the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance or the other Upanishadic principles.

Core to the Upanishad and Gita is the philosophy of the individual soul and the supreme to be in a dependant-independent entity relationship. An individual soul is always a dependant or supported entity, whereas the supreme divinity has an independent existence supporting the entire cosmic universe. To show this vast expanse of divinity, certain Hindu sects apply the urdva pundra at twelve different body locations. Each of the locations and symbolic marks represents the energy forces that manifest and maintain the cosmic universe.

The material used for the tilak is typically sandalwood, turmeric, or a blend of turmeric, lime, and mercury. The blend produces a red color, referred to as kumkum. Another common material is the remnant ash from fire offerings. The ash is to keep an individual grounded in reality – on death this body, when cremated, reduces to a pile of ash.

Applying a tilak or urdhva pundra can foster societal belonging. While not directly a spiritual doctrine, a symbolic mark, can serve as a reminder to look beyond the name and form of the body, and be aware of the divinity in this universe.

Krishna, the preceptor of the Gita says: