Sri Vaishnava Marks – Vadagalai

 

Sectarian marks are worn by devotess and also painted on temple walls. This is the Vadagalai mark
on the Kanchipuram Temple walls, and on the foreheads of young devotees. May 1994.

H.H. the senior Jiyar of Vanamamalai Matha. The Tengalai mark are “Y” shaped with a red line in the middle,
denoting the feet of Vishnu and the Goddess Sri.

The vertical marks made of sandlewood paste indicate that this woman is from the Gaudiya tradition.
Delhi, December 1998.

The red mark made of sindhoor indicates that this woman is married.
Puri, Orissa. December 1998.

The sectarian mark of the Swaminarayan tradition is landscaped
in the grounds of the temple in Augusta, GA. March, 2000.

Acharya Hridayananda Goswami

Decorative marks adorn the forehead of a Gujarati bride.