Urdhva Pundra

The Urdhva Pundra (Sanskrit: ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्र, romanized: Ūrdhvapuṇḍra, lit. 'elevated mark') is a tilaka worn by Vaishnavas as an indication of their affiliation with Vishnu. It is generally worn on the forehead, but may also be worn on other parts of the body such as the shoulders. The markings are made either as a daily ritual, or on special occasions, and denote the particular sampradaya, or the lineage to which the devotee belongs. The different Vaishnava sampradayas each have their own distinctive style of tilaka based on the siddhanta of their particular lineage. The general tilaka design is of two or three vertical lines resembling the letter U or Y, which represent the feet of Vishnu.