Hare Krishna,

I have some questions that i would like to read opinions special from matajis.

I see some devotes ( matajis) that use makeup others don't. When i tell makeup is face makeup, and nails. I always have this question, is wrong to use makeup and nailpolish? Using makeup, people will see us like superficial person? Is wrong to use any colour, for exemple red?

Single matajis and married matajis have some different etiquette about makeup and nail polish?

Also my question is about jewelery! is wrong to use rings, earrings, necklaces?

Is some diference between single matajis and married matajis in this subject?

Thank you

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Replies

  • Namaskaram

    hare Krsna mataji

    makeup and jewelry in them selves are not bad , but one should avoid excess ,

    the only problem with makeup is that it becomes an obsession , it is too easy to be thinking of fashion and not thinking of Krsna .

    the same can be said of dress ,

    I agree with many of the above posts that the sari is the most apropriate and the most beautifull

     suits and gopi dresses can also be worn, but what realy concerns me is that many women come to the temple dressed in an overly fashionable manner with too fancy a sari with too much makeup and perfume .

    to my mind we should be dressing a little simply after all when we visit the temple we come to worship Krsna , and Krsna should remain allways the center of attention .

    this doesnot mean that a woman canot be beautifull or that she should not take pride in her apperance , but it does mean that we should re eveluate what is truely beautifull , it is not beautifull to go around displaying too much flesh or painted up like a doll sadly it looks cheap , but worst of all it can become competative many times I have seen groups of girls who over dress for the temple , we must remember visiting the temple is not a fashion parade , it is not a chance to show off or concentrate overly on the self .

    what is truely beautifull on a woman is modesty and Humility , a sari worn well covers the body even when dancing .

    Lile Rashmi ji I am also in favour if traditional saris , nothing looks more beautifull than a simple hand woven cotton sari with a little starch and freshly ironed , ...this is simple living and High thinking , this is preserving tradition and keeping ones focus on Krsna .

    I realy love the process of prepairing to go out , one bathes , irons a fresh sari , puts on Tilak and is reminded of ones position as a devotee , in truth this is all we need , ...

    one can  save a few slightly fancier saris for festival days this puts one in the mood of celebration this is perfect what more does one need ?

    one more note allthough not mentioned is perfume especialy comercialy produced perfume , no , no ,  it is horible ! when women wear perfume often they do not realise how  false it smells , and wear too too much because arter a while they canot smell it . we should use only natural oils , just a little in the hair when combing is very nice , that is all you need .

    also when you serve the deities you should not use heavy perfumesor wear overly ostentacious dress,  just simple sari and beautifull natural oils , Radha and Krsna will realy appreciate this ( we do not need to overpower the delicate fragrance of the flowers that we offer , otherwise how  will the Deities have a chance to appreciate their offerings? )

    jai sri Krsna

  •  Hare Krishna Mataji

    In Krishna consciousness, we should adopt simple living high thinking. in 2nd chapter of Bhagvadgita Lord Krishna start His teachings, explaining that we are not this body, we are spirit souls,. As the teaching goes , as much you realise  and  not attached to your body, and develop your Krishna consciousness, you cross over this illusory world and go back home back to godhead.  Whether to dr ess up gorgeously or simple does not matter, watch your consciousness, that you are always remembering Krishna.Follow the dress code of the temple and read what b bhaktin Marol and Rashmi mataji said.

    Hare Krishna.

    Thank you

    your servant

    ambika 

     

  • Volunteer

    If to observe woman's dress we can find saree far more beautiful than any other dress.

    Sometimes i wear salvar kamez for doing yoga at home but it looks so different from saree...

    Saree covers body properly, at the same time beauty of woman's body remains noticeable. As like thin waist, proper straight back, ...it looks like a button of a rose. So beautiful.

    But when we wear jeans we look like a stick. Maybe many are not....

    Plus we should wash our cloth daily. So if we wash jeans it does not get dry fast.

    Plus it is so tight that it is not good for ladies who want to have kids in the future.

    Plus it shows the features of the body so nicely that modesty is lost. It will create lust in men.

    For a girl or woman it is very important that they cover the form of their lower and upper parts of the body not with single cloth but with many slices which we can do with saree.

    Your servant,  

    • Hare Krsna Bhaktin Maral

      I will agree with you entirely , the sari is so beautifull , I do not understand why some young matajis prefer to wear jeans , I only ever wear jeans for very dirty work and heavy work , and I do not even find them comfortable I would never want to go out in them .

      apart from in very cold weather the sari is so simple and so perfect .

      the only thing which concerns me is the wearing of synthetic saris . many mataji's I have spoken with do not like the ironing but this is very sad , because wearing a traditional hand made sari is keeping so many rural weavers dyers and printers in their traditional work , which is very important . personaly I will only wear traditional hand made saris and shawls .

      also many synthetic materials are much more flamable so they are dangerous , our guru maharaj ji will not let matajis participate in yajna if they are wearing synthetic saris as sparks can make them catch fire more easily .

      So my request is for matajis to wear their traditional indian saris with pride , there are so many rural workers who realy need this work otherwisw there is no work for them .

      jai sri Krsna

  • Volunteer

    Jewelries are ok for both married or unmarried.

    Lipstick is also ok if it is violence free.  

    Pure vegetarian.

  • Volunteer

    http://vedabase.com/en/sb/10/45/35-36

    Please read the next page for those 64 arts!

    Kshatriyas are worrier class of people.

    There are 4 varnas (occupational duties)

    1. Brahmanas - teachers, doctors, priests, astrologers ...

    2. Kshatriyas - Kings, managers ...

    3. Vaishyas - merchants, business people...

    4. Shudras - working class of people...

    Paramahamsa is a person who is pure from all material desires. No desire for anything material what to speak of decorating a dead body...

    Your servant,

  • Volunteer

    my humble obeisances dear Devotees!

    Indeed one of 64 subjects which used to be thought in Vedic times is using different types of make ups on one's face.

    Another is decorating the limbs of the body with jewelries;

    Another is wrapping sarees nicely, beautifully;

    Residents of Vrindavana used to apply powder out of stone mineral talc (nowadays it is used as a base of compact powders and creams).

    They used to apply mascara, kajal, some colors to their lips....

    Not only ladies but also men.

    So applying make up and looking fresh and beautiful is indeed a respect to others.

    Higher class of women like brahmanas and kshatriyas never go out not putting make up and ornaments on their bodies.

    But yes, make up we have to make so that it suits us. Also use cosmetics which are violence free.  

    Not tested on animals etc.

    Same thing is with nails.

    If girl is not using make up, not looking after herself, not behaving as girl it means she is doing something wrong in spiritual life or she is so renounced that she is a paramahamsa.

    Also there is desire in any girl, as i per my own experiences, to look beautiful. So it is ok. We can look like that. Premature renunciation may lead to frustration.

    Your servant,  

    • hare krishna mataji,

      i wld like to ask u that is wearing jeans,long skirts allowed bcoz i hv felt smtimes that nowadays if we wear traditional indian dresses like suits & sarees then many think us to be backward & hvng no fashion sense.

      • E-Counselor

        Hare Krsna Mataji,

        PAMHO.

        Jeans is not at all allowed for ladies, as in it is not the vedic custom. A lot of matajis wear jeans outside, but when they go to the temple, they make it a point to be in sarees or salwars. Thats ok.

        Re Sarees - crisp cotton starched saree is a fashion statement in itself mataji. It is not backward at all - it is difficult to maintain in todays age with no maids and no proper place to dry sarees in the house. You have to create your own fashion identity. Cotton sarees can very much be a fashion identity. Some people excel in collecting traditional sarees of different states of India and wear only traditional weaves. That is also a fashion identity. Sarees, worn properly, looks best and invokes respect amongst men.

        Re salwar suits - north India is more into salwar suits because it has originated from there. There should always be dupatta with salwar suits and if possible wrap it around your shoulders and cover your head in the temple. Outside it can be worn normally. There are all kinds of cuts and styles that are also fashion statements mataji. Again, traditional embroidery or weaves on material is a fashion statement. The biggest advantage is that it covers us so well, taht little care is required when we are in public. Esp good for train/bus overnight travel.

        Long skirts - Long skirts ankle length worn with a top and dupatta is akin to gopi dress and can be worn in temples also. that same dupatta can be used as a stoll outside.

        Jeans - I just remembered, one senior prabhu's wife insists on being in jeans all the time. So in the temple she teams it with a long kurti and dupatta. If its so important to you mataji, you can also do this.

        Whatever I have mentioned is India centric. I have seen in temples abroad, the dress code for women is far more liberal, maybe depending on local sensibilities.

        Haribol,

        Your servant,

        Rashmi

        •  hare Krsna  Rashmi ji

          I am so glad to see that you are in favour of the traditional rural made sari's as not only does this provide much needed work for rural families but it also keeps traditions alive .

          you say your coments are India centric ,  here in the UK  many matajis are wearing both saris and suits , but there is a concern that I have , many of the Indian mataji's wear very lavish and very fasionable suits and saris and some wear in a very bolywood style , it is so sad to see that these ladies do not realise the true beauty of Indian dresss , and also some of these ways to dress are very immodest and not suitable for the temple , I think there is a small problem with wishing to appear fashion conscious ?  ...ladies please remember we are visiting the temple to become Krsna Conscious  , there is no need to be fasionable when the sari is so beautifull even when worn simply in a traditional manner .

          jai sri Krsna

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