Tell me you are Desi without telling me you are Desi...
One of the things I looked forward to as a young girl in the 80s - 90s during Garba was getting to dress up and put on my "chaandalo" or "bindi".
Putting on make up was not an option, as one of my Pappa's friends used to say,
"Chhoti bacchiyaa make up nahi lagaati".
Man, did we get creative with the bindi game though!
There was a time where they sold these small pots with liquids in them with stamps and we would attempt to do dots, half moons, and other designs.
If you are a "Chaandalo" or "bindi" lover, chances are you have a few of these "pattaas" somewhere in your closet with your jewelry and saris.
These stickers became a bit of a fashion statements among some westerners, who had a pull towards India and its culture for a while. These are meant for adornment and aesthetics and they are not the same as "tilak" (in Gujarati also known as chaandalo but more like kanku no chaandalo).
If you have not read the "why do we" post about tilak, be sure to check it out!
Are you a chaandalaa lover or can do with out?
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