Kumkum, Bindu and Sindur

Haridraachumasamyuktam kunkumam kaamadaayakam I

vastraalamkaranan Sarvam devi tvam pratigrhyatam I

amukudevyai namah I kunkumam samarpayaami I
Goddess, accept all, garments, and ornaments and kumkum accompanied with turmeric powder which grants desires, salutation to the Goddess so and so I offer kumkum

The use of kumkum in Hindu temples is of inexorable importance especially in the temples dedicated to Shakti. The red Sindhura is particularly favoured by Goddess Lalitha and used by women during lalitha-vrata. The object is to create harmony, and to entrap and concentrate power which is in the kumkum for the benefit of the community. Kumkum is veritably derived from turmeric and is coloured red for application and also for offering to God, which is expounded by many as substitute for former blood sacrifice.
The place where the kumkum is worn i.e., in between the eyebrows is of considerable significance too. The area between the eyebrows is known as the Ajna (6th chakra) meaning command. It controls the various states of concentration realised through meditation. It has a central point called Bindu where at all experience, all being is compacted into its utmost concentration. 

The Brahmavaivarti purana states that after taking a bath one has to make a tilaka on the root of his arms, on the forehead, on the neck and on the chest. One's snana, dana, tapa, homa becomes fruitless if one does not make a tilaka - made of the following - gorocana (cow bile) with cow's urine, warm cow dung, these two along with curds and sandal should be marked on the forehead. This tilaka is conducive to prosperity and health. The tilaka, also called tika, is a ritual mark made on the forehead, arms, or chest with red, yellow or white pigment i.e., with Sindhur, sandalwood paste or ashes (vibhuti) to designate one's sect. Even women, it is believed sported these marks for the same purpose. The marks may be horizontal or perpendicular lines, dots, rectangles, circles, oblongs or triangles.
Human body has been likened several times to a temple, a place where God resides. Just as the temple is cleaned every morning and an attractive Rangoli is delineated to adorn the entrance and to welcome devotees, so also the human body is expected to be bathed and the tilaka is marked over the body before submitting to God in a state of goodness and sincere devotion. Lack of it all only denoted emptiness.

In the olden days, a variety of tilaka marks were borne by men. The Skanda purana and the Brahmavaivarti purana mentions the usage of different tilaka marks. Each mark had a significance attached to it. A person putting the trisula mark would hold the pradhana principle that is composed of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, a white disc mark denoted the Sun and full of Brahman lustre. There is also mention of the marks of the conch, the disc, the mace, the lotus etc. The Skanda purana mentions of a crescent mark that is worn by couples at the time of marriage. It is believed that this mark is conducive to the growth of male progeny and the destroyer of all sorrows and diseases. The colour of these forehead marks were believed to be symbolic too. The black colour was for pacification, red for control, yellow for wealth, white for release (moksha) and so on. The Svetasvatara upanishad mentions that the colours also represent the three forces as red for rajas, black for tamas and white for the cohesive sattva.

The red colour of the kumkum is also said to symbolize love and as the yellow of the turmeric has the power to influence the intellect, the y are usually placed side by side before serving to God, or to women visitors at the time of taking leave to show good will and wishing for the lasting of the good fortune. 

Good luck to you all!

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA