The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism (2 Vol Set)

northern India, is changing their jewelry
on that day because this is said to annoy
Lakshmi and raise the danger that she
might depart because of her vexation.

Tiger

In Hindu mythology, a tiger or lionis the
animal vehicle of the powerful forms of
the Goddess, such as Durga. Modern
iconography shows both lions and tigers
with no apparent difference between
them, perhaps reflecting the fact that
the Hindiword shercan refer to either
animal. In either case, the fact that the
Goddess rides such a dangerous animal
is clearly a symbol of her power and
capacity, because in her mythology
these animalsare often described as her
allies, doing battle on her part in
response to her command.

Tika

In modern Hindi, a word denoting
either a commentary on a text or a col-
ored mark (often red vermilion) on one’s
forehead. These forehead marks are
applied for various reasons: for sheer
ornamentation, to indicate sectarian
affiliation, or as an outward symbol of
having worshiped in a temple that day
(since a common element in this wor-
shipis to receive some of the vermilion
daubed on the feet of the deity’simage,
as a sign of graceand one’s subordinate
status). The former of these two mean-
ings is the original sense of the word, but
the latter meaning is far more common
in contemporary times. The connection
between these two meanings could be
the notion that just as a primary text is
ornamented and highlighted by a com-
mentary, in the same way a forehead
mark could ornament the body.

Tilak

A mark on the forehead, also colloquially
known as a tika, made from colored
powders mixed with oil, sandalwood
paste, or cosmetics. These forehead
marks are applied for various reasons:
for sheer ornamentation, to indicate

sectarian affiliation, or as an outward

symbol of having worshiped in a temple

that day. See tika.

Tilak, Bal Gangadhar

(1856–1920) Maharashtrian political

activist who was once characterized as

“the father of Indian unrest.” Unlike his

Maharashtrian contemporaries Ranade

and Gokhale, who stressed working

within existing institutions, Tilak never

compromised his conviction that the

British had no right to rule India. He

resigned from Gokhale’s reformist group

in 1890 and devoted himself to educat-

ing and organizing ordinary people in

Maharashtra. One vehicle for such

organizing comprised two newspapers,

one written in English and one in

Marathi. The other involved organizing

and promoting two new festivals. One

of these festivals was devoted to

the Maratha king Shivaji, a regional

hero who had spent his life fighting

Tilak, Bal Gangadhar

This ascetic’s tika markings indicate that he

belongs to the Ramanandi group.