Hindus wear markings on their forehead for many purposes. Some markings denote the sect they belong to, others tell if a woman is married or not, and some have deeper metaphysical reasons. Hindu priests and monks can often be seen wearing the most elaborate of facial markings. The markings are made of holy ash, sandal paste and a red powder called kunkumam which is made from turmeric or saffron. Here’s a collection of photos of monks and priests with facial markings…including one of myself taken by friend and New York based fashion photographer Andre Schneider.
