Nepalese Carved Wooden Ritual Tika Box

Early 20th century, Nepal or India.

Fascinating carved wooden ritual powder box, used to store vermilion powder called sindoor. ”Tika” or ”Tilakam” is a ritual mark worn usually on the forehead, made with yoghurt and sindoor. Sindoor is traditionally applied at the parting-line of a woman’s hair (called ”Mang” in Hindi) or as a dot on the forehead. Sindoor is the mark of a married woman in Hinduism. Single woman wear the bindi, but do not apply sindoor in their parting of the hairline. The sindoor is first applied to the woman by her husband on the day of her wedding. This is ceremony is called Sindoor Daanam. After this, she applies it herself every day. The parting of hair is symbolic of a river of red blood full of life. The wiping off the sindoor is very significant for a widow. There are many rituals associated with this practise. When the sindoor is removed the the river becomes barren, dry and empty.

Lovely hand carved, leaf shaped coarse lidded box with a simple iron pin at the pivot point. Good condition. Age-related wear and signs of heavy use over many years. Traces of sindoor. Size approx. 19,0cm x 6,9cm x 3,0cm.

Provenance: Dutch private collection