Kumkum
The red powder of Hindu ritual, applied as a mark on the forehead and offered to deities.
Also: kumkuma, sindoor, vermilion, tilak powder, kunku
Kumkum is the red powder used for the tilak or bindi, for marking sacred objects and for offering in worship. The traditional kind is made from turmeric and slaked lime, which turns the yellow of turmeric a deep red, a chemical colour change that makes alkaline lime react with curcumin. Other recipes use saffron or sandalwood. Married women in many communities apply it in the parting of the hair, called sindoor. At Navratri and other festivals, women exchange kumkum and turmeric in a ritual called haldi kumkum. Commercial powders now often use synthetic dyes, so many families prefer the traditional preparation.