Page 27 - Mann Ki Baat - English

Bhakra (Orange Sindoor)

A distinctive site during the festival is the long orange sindoor worn
by married women. It is a sacred marker of the Vrati (devotee),
symbolising their purity and austerity during the fast. The vibrant
orange colour honours the Sun God (Surya Dev), whose energy it
represents, and is a prayer for the long life and well-being of their
husband and family. It is applied from the nose bridge up to the
hairline and also in the hair parting.

Diyas (Earthen Lamps)

Small lamps made of clay, filled with Ghee (clarified butter), and
a cotton wick. The lamp symbolises the dispelling of darkness and
ignorance. Lighting a diya during the evening Arghya represents
welcoming the light of the Sun God even as the physical sun sets,
signifying the eternal presence of divine consciousness.

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