A great ink ingredient for writing yantras. Confers goodluck when it spaced applied below the foot or on Devi Idol. A Component of Astha Gandha. ORIGINAL SINDOOR WAS PREPARED FROM TREE/ PLANT Sindoor is a traditional orange-red cosmetic powder worn by Hindu married women along the parting of hair. It is called 'Kumkum' when used in Puja. Since ancient times it is in use by Shaivites as well as Vaishnavs. Most of us think that it is powder of mineral Cinnabar (mercury sulphide) or Minium (lead tetroxide) which are considered dangerous chemicals. Sindoor, however, originally was prepared from the red pulp surrounding the seeds of a small tree called Sindoor (botanical name: Bixa Orellana L.; Annatto in English). Sindoor can be prepared from turmeric and alum or lime too. Sindoor is prominently used in Hindu Puja and rituals. Sindoor's association with Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesh is well known. In addition it is used by Bengali women during 'Sindur Khela' on Durga Puja's last day praying Her for long and happy married life. Although the fruit of the Annatto tree are inedible it is often cultivated for its flowers and more especially for its seedpods. The pulp of the Annatto fruit yields a bright red dye, which has long been used both as a body paint and dye stuff for textiles or food. The ancient Maya and Aztecs regarded it as a symbolic substitute for blood and thus ascribed to it sacred connotations. It was also used to make ink and virtually all the ancient Maya scriptures were penned in annatto juice. The seeds also have a reputation as a female aphrodisiac and are believed to make bulls used for bullfighting more aggressive. The whole tree has a long history as a valued medicinal plant that has been used to treat a wide variety of conditions from fevers to cancer.

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