No one knows exactly when the tradition of putting a bindi started, but since centuries it is seen on the foreheads of   Hindu men and women. The bindi worn by the women made of the red lead where as the one put on by the men is of Sandalwood paste, both of these substances are known for their cooling properties. When a man wears a bindi it is generally known as tilak.

More then their cooling properties a bindi worn by women is also the reminder of their wedding vows, because a bindi is worn by hindu married women to symbolize their marriage. Myth is that it protects them from bad eye.

However today the religious significance of the bindi is largely forgotten and it is now worn as a fashion accessory rather than its religious significance.