I’ve always been curious as to why, but I’ve been afraid to ask as I don’t know if it’s a stereotype or insensitive. But I do want to know why, so I finally decided to ask.
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Traditionally, it was for religious or spiritual purposes. But most people just wear it today because that’s what they’re used to growing up. Women from different parts of India wear different types of bindi, and for different reasons, too. It’s not *necessarily* red=married, black=unmarried. There’s also different patterns, and it’s often regional. (I used to be jealous of the women who were “able” to wear the cool crescent-moon ones, because as a kid I was obsessed with Sailor Moon and wanted to wear that. I think that pattern is more common in North/East India but I’m not sure.)
Diaspora in the US or elsewhere just wear what is common in the community they hail from. Most of the women in my family just prefer wearing the little black versions, for example. It’s not mandatory at all — my mom only wears it sometimes these days, though she used to wear it daily from what I remember. My cousins and I who live outside India pretty much don’t wear them at all, and most of the Indian girls my age who I’ve met here don’t either. We sometimes wear one if we’re wearing more traditional clothes just for the aesthetic or vibe (or to make our parents/grandparents happy), but for daily life it’s becoming less and less common even *in India*. I studied there for the better part of the previous decade, and virtually none of my classmates wore it either — though I was in an urban city and that definitely impacts it lol.
However, I think most of us still really enjoy wearing the [pretty decorative ones](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/SpUAAOSwAPhjtUGi/s-l1600.jpg) when we dress up in fancier clothes like lehengas. It actually feels kinda weird *not* wearing it when you’re otherwise all dressed up — like you forgot to put on your earrings or something.
It’s definitely not insensitive to ask, so don’t worry! It’s actually really nice to share this stuff! When I had a cultural fair thing in our elementary school, we bought packs and packs of those decorative bindis to share to other girls — or boys, if they wanted! It was in a pretty rural American town so I was kind of worried I’d get made fun of, but instead they all loved how pretty the bindis were and happily wore them. It was wonderful seeing that, and it was actually the first time I didn’t feel embarrassed of my heritage. Helped me get over my whole “reject your traditions to fit in” thing lol!
Hope this perspective helps, I just felt like sharing! o/
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