Unique tikka

claurianta

Hello,

When I was in India I came across this man in Tirumala and we spent half a day getting into the temple and then getting some of the food they were giving out to pilgrims. Anyone have any idea what his tikka means?

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brishti

hmmm - guessing here -
red circle could mean 'the third eye' [the all seeing/knowing/enlightened]
yellow patch resembles a portal of some sort
can see a similar graphic behind his head too
whose devotee was he? perhaps that'd help...

this i do know,
three vertical lined tilak = followers of shiva
three horizontal lined tilak = followers of vishnu
[someone please correct me if i'm wrong]

:brishti

Nick-H

The three lines, like a red line inside a yellow U, in this part of the world, is Ayengar Brahmin, vaishnavite.

Horizontal white lines (unless in the middle of a road ) are, I think, a general indication of devotion, but I think they are maybe more shaivite.

My wife, who is not a Hindu, but has lived here all her life, says this is something he has made up himself.

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AvidTrekker

Yes, see this picture of an Iyengar Bramhin. They are vaishnava-s and many go to Tirupati Balaji for pilgrimage. The vertical lines symbol is called "naamam" in Tamilnadu and "tilak" in the North.
Correct again. The horizontal three lines are made with vibhuti [ashes, bhasma] and are caled "pattai" in Tamilnadu and "tripundra" in the North. Iyers in Tamilnadu and followers of Shiva. See picture here...

Maybe true. These markings identify the sect to which one professes to belong. This chap seems to belong to some little known sect.
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Sadanand Kamath

The unique tikka thing has reminded me of a guide in one of the Kanchipuram temples explaining to me in my Dec'80 trip that Y shaped (or V shaped ) namam and U shaped namam represented different sects among Iyengars led by the priests of Srirangam temple (Trichy) and Kanchi temples respectively.

Sadanand

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Alohaguy

So, It might be just a fashion statement?