'Hindu' stamp

[Allen W Thrasher]

First, I couldn't swear to it, but I think it is not particularly unusual for Indian Christian women to wear the bindu.  It probably varies from region to region and caste-like group to group.
 
Second, is it necessarily sectarian, in history, for an Indian man to wear a tilak on his forehead?  I think Roberto de Nobili successfully argued against opponents and was supported in Rome, that it was a matter of aesthetics and marking social position, and could therefore be continued by converts to Christianity.  Admittedly, I don't think it's been common more recently.
 
Allen
 
Allen W. Thrasher, Ph.D., Senior Reference Librarian
South Asia Team, Asian Division
Library of Congress, Jefferson Building 150
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, DC 20540-4810
tel. 202-707-3732; fax 202-707-1724; athr at loc.gov
The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Library of Congress.

>>> jkirk at SPRO.NET 03/11/06 1:25 PM >>>

From: http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/nov/02stamp.htm
"It is an Indianised version of a European print of The Holy Family with St 
Anne and the two angels, according to the city art gallery. It has a 
European theme it [in?] a Mughal setting."

I see 2 other figures, one of which could be St Anne and one an 
angel---maybe part of the picture was left off the stamp.

Joanna K.