The sindoor box is one of the most symbolic objects in a Hindu wedding. Long after the ceremony, it stays on the home altar as a keepsake of the day. Here is what it means, how it is used and how to choose one.
What is sindoor?
Sindoor is red or orange vermilion powder. Married Hindu women traditionally wear it in the parting of their hair as a sign of marriage, and it is offered to deities during puja.
The sindoor daan ritual
During the wedding, the groom applies sindoor to the bride's hair parting for the first time – the sindoor daan. The sindoor is usually kept in a decorated box brought for the occasion, which the bride keeps afterwards.
Other uses
- Daily puja and the home mandir
- Karwa Chauth, Teej and Navratri rituals
- Holding kumkum or haldi on the puja thali
- A keepsake and decorative piece
How to choose a sindoor box
Motif: Lakshmi designs symbolize prosperity, Radha Krishna symbolizes love and devotion, and Ganesha is chosen for new beginnings. See the Lord Balaji and Lakshmi Sindoor Box and the Radha Krishna with Flute Sindoor Box.
Single or dual: a dual box such as the Lakshmi Dual Sindoor Box holds sindoor and haldi together.
Finish: antique gold with kemp stones is traditional; the Kemp Goddess Lakshmi Sindoor Box is a favorite.
Browse our full sindoor box collection.
Caring for your sindoor box
Wipe with a soft dry cloth, keep away from moisture, and empty and clean the container occasionally so powder does not cake.
Buying from Sparkling Trendz in the USA
Sparkling Trendz is a New York based Indian jewelry boutique with pieces designed by Masu. Orders ship within 1–2 business days with tracking, US orders of $35 or more ship free, and every piece arrives with a tamper-evident security tag so you know it is new and unworn. See our shipping policy and return policy.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sindoor box used for?
A sindoor box (sindoor dibbi) holds sindoor, the red or orange vermilion powder married Hindu women apply in the hair parting. It is used in the sindoor daan ritual at weddings, in daily puja and during festivals like Karwa Chauth and Teej.
Who gives the sindoor box at a wedding?
Traditions vary by region and family. Often the groom's family brings the sindoor box, and the groom applies sindoor to the bride during the sindoor daan ceremony.
Is a sindoor box a good wedding gift?
Yes. A decorated sindoor box is a meaningful, lasting gift for a bride, for a newly married couple's home mandir, or for Karwa Chauth.
What is a dual sindoor box?
A dual sindoor box has two compartments, usually for sindoor and haldi (turmeric) or kumkum, so both can be kept on the puja thali.
