A unique exhibition based on one of Indian culture’s most enduring symbols, the bindi, is being held in the Wellington region. Coinciding with this year’s Diwali festival, the exhibition, “Bindi – The Indian Tradition” will be housed at the Bottle Creek Gallery of Pataka Museum of Arts and Cultures, Porirua from October 21 to November 14. It will be a part of the annual public celebration of Diwali for 2010, jointly organised by Wellington City Council and Asia New Zealand Foundation.
The objective of this exhibition is to explain the ancient Indian tradition of bindi (the Indian dot) and to provide an opportunity to its viewers to enhance their understanding of history, social and religious significance of bindi for ceremonies and festivals and also as a fashion accessory in the world of fashion.
An Indian woman does not seem complete without a colourful bindi on her forehead, especially at occasions of weddings, religious ceremonies, festivals or with traditional outfits. The bindi is arguably the most visually fascinating of all forms of body decoration and an inseparable part of the Indian woman’s identity.
Also known as tika, pottu, sindhur (sindoor), tilaka, tilakam and kumkum, a bindi is usually an eye-catching round mark made on the forehead as adornment. Hindus attach great importance and significance to this mark on the forehead. Since ancient times, the spot between the eyebrows has been considered a major focal point in the human body. The red kumkum between the eyebrows is said to help in retaining energy in the human body. A red dot on the forehead of married Hindu women is an auspicious sign of marriage.
The curator of the exhibition is Arti Gentejohann, who since 1997, has been developing exhibitions covering different themes of Indian culture, especially for Diwali celebrations. Her previous Diwali exhibitions were “Dazzling Diyas – Traditional Indian Lamps” in 2006 and “Masala – The Story of Spices & Indian Cuisine” in 2007-2008. She has also organised a number of Indian documentary film festivals.
Educational and participatory activities will be arranged in conjunction with the museum’s education co-ordinator, near the date.
Ms Gentejohann is originally an educational television producer from Ahmedabad, Gujarat and immigrated to New Zealand in 1994. Since then, she has been developing and organising projects to showcase different aspects of Indian culture with an educational perspective and to broaden the horizon of New Zealanders about India.
“I started with organising Indian documentary film festivals in 1995 and have showcased documentaries, Film and Television Institute of India’s films as well as developing educational exhibitions for museums in Wellington,” she told Indian Weekender.
She has been developing exhibitions around the Diwali celebrations in Wellington since 2006.
Exhibition Bindi: The Indian Dot
21 October – 14 November 2010 Pataka Museum, Porirua
Free admission