'The Bindi Project' Is Breathing New Life Into A Classic Homegrown Adornment

It takes a lot of grit and faith to go beyond the ordinary and create a path of our own. Those who love fashion would understand what it means to derive confidence from your attire. When Meghna Khanna stepped away from her bustling, 18-year-long venture, Levitate—a store celebrated for its eclectic Indian crafts—she wasn’t just closing one chapter; she was setting the stage for a more personal, purposeful story. The Bindi Project, her brainchild, is not only a nod to tradition and an ode to the adornment she loves, but also a step into the future of sustainable fashion. Founded in 2022, The Bindi Project is a labour of love, rooted in the belief that every person carries the spirit of the divine within them, and what better way to celebrate that than with a handcrafted, bespoke bindi?

For Meghna, a seasoned entrepreneur and passionate stylist, the bindi is more than an accessory - it symbolises beauty, strength, and empowerment. Her creations, made from upcycled materials, are as diverse as the women they adorn. Each one tells a story, a reminder that fashion can be both sustainable and soulful. “I wanted to create value where it’s missing,” Meghna has earlier shared in a feature she did with the Network of Indian Cultural Enterprises, “and in a world dominated by mass production, my bindis are unique, handcrafted, and zero-waste.”

But the journey hasn’t been without challenges. Meghna has forged her own path towards navigating the often-unorganised terrain of India’s cultural fashion sector - from figuring out how to scale, doing meaningful collaborations, and creating a digital presence, all while staying true to her founding vision. For Meghna, The Bindi Project is not just about having a business of her own, or expanding its production; it is also about building a community and helping others grow along in her brand's journey too. 

Sustainability, of course, is at the heart of The Bindi Project, as it is completely made from upcycled material. The Bindis are made from leftover materials—fabrics, leather scraps, and even items donated by friends. The result is a one-of-a-kind product, rooted in tradition but reimagined for modern sensibilities. The offerings from The Bindi Project are as much about making a statement as they are about telling a story. Meghna is working overtime to make sure her bespoke bindis reach the right peopel. For this, she is travelling far and wide to cities across India at pop-ups and exhibitions, and having it adorned by the right people, such Usha Uthup an icon who is almost synonymous with Bindis in India. Through her venture, Meghna is spearheading a movement to prevent the traditional adornment from fading away, one handcrafted bindi at a time. 

Follow the Bindi Project here.

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