The Sacred Mark
Thiruman (Tamil: திருமண் — 'sacred clay') refers to the white Vaiṣṇava ūrdhvapuṇḍra mark — two vertical white stripes on the forehead (representing the Lord's feet or His divine form) with a red vertical stripe (śrīcūrṇam) between them representing Śrī (Pirāṭṭi). It is one of the five components of pañca-saṃskāra (the second, called puṇḍra).
Application
Thiruman is made from white sacred clay (tirumani or gopī-candana), and the central line from a red powder (śrīcūrṇam made from turmeric and lime). It is applied in 12 specific places on the body — each place representing a specific name of the Lord and invoking divine protection at that body-part.
The twelve places: forehead, chest, right/left shoulder, right/left upper arm, right/left forearm, upper back, lower back/belly, and face/neck (the specific set varies between Teṉkalai and Vaḍakalai practice).
Spiritual Significance
The thiruman is not a cosmetic mark but an ontological statement: the devotee has been 'branded' as the Lord's servant — Nārāyaṇa's property. The white strips represent His feet (or the conch and discus); the red represents Pirāṭṭi. Wearing thiruman is considered itself a form of continuous kainkaryam and protection.
Daily Practice
Every initiated Śrī Vaiṣṇava applies thiruman daily after bathing, as part of the morning tiruvaradhana routine. Not wearing thiruman when one could is considered a lapse in duty. Āzhvārs sing of the thiruman as a beautiful adornment — marking the Vaiṣṇava community as the Lord's people (Viṣṇu-cihna).