Tilak
A mark on the forehead made with sandalwood, kumkum or ash, in blessing.
Also: tika, tilaka, teeka
A tilak is a sacred mark on the forehead, put on by a priest after worship or by an elder as a blessing. It can be a dot or a line, in red kumkum, yellow turmeric, white sandalwood or grey ash, and its shape often shows which deity a person follows: three lines for Shiva, a U shape for Vishnu. In Nepal, the tika is given to the young at Dashain by elders, in a mix of rice, curd and colour. A tilak is also applied to welcome guests, and a warrior leaving for battle used to receive one.
Region: South Asia