Tilaka

[1] The tilaka may be worn daily for decorative purposes, as a symbol for sectarian affiliation, for rites of passage or for special spiritual and religious occasions, depending on regional customs.

[4] Tilakas come in an assortment of styles or shapes and are adorned using various material such as "ash from sacrificial fire or cow dung, sandalwood paste, turmeric, clay, charcoal or red lead.

The Vaishnava tilaka, also known as urdhva pundra, consists of a two or three vertical lines starting from just below the hairline to almost the end of one's nose tip, and intercepted in the middle by an elongated U.

The Vasudeva Upanishad, a Vaishnava tradition text, explains the significance of three vertical lines in urdhva pundra tilaka to be a reminder of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva; the Vedic scriptures – Rigveda, Yajurveda and Samaveda; three worlds Bhu, Bhuva, Svar; the three syllables of Om – a, u, m; three states of consciousness – awake, dream sleep, deep sleep; three realities – Maya, Brahman and Atman; the three bodies – sthula, sukshma, and karana.

[3] Chapter 2 of the Kalagni Rudra Upanishad, a Shaiva traditional text, explains the three lines of a Tilaka as a reminder of various triads: three sacred fires, three syllables in Om, three gunas, three worlds, three types of atman (self), three powers in oneself, first three Vedas, three times of extraction of the Vedic drink Soma.