What is your opinion on Sindoor?

I have discussed with my boyfriend that I don't intend to wear sindoor or change my surname after marriage and he is cool with it. And both us don't want to do a Hindu rituals wala marriage either. A registry marriage is enough for us. Because we don't believe in these rituals. And we also don't like the idea of spending a huge amount of money on the wedding. We intend to pay for the wedding with our own money not our parents. Both of us are well established in our respective fields of work and earn well. So all is fine and well with our relationship. And our ideas and planning seemed reasonable and logically to both us.

Today I was chatting with a friend of mine. And I mentioned that I don't want the sindoor or Hindu rituals wala marriage. And he commented that you will have a Christian wedding. And I am like, what?? No, who said anything about being christian? We have a constitution in this country and we will be wed by the standards of the Indian constitution.

So why do I need to wear sindoor and stuff. It seems so pointless. Like the whole thing with mangal of the husband etc is superstition. Why will wearing a powder on the head determine the long life of another human being? What is the connection? There is no science or reason. Also if for arguments sake let's say we believe that wearing the red powder is magically keeping my husband alive. Is my husband the only person who deserves a long life? Am I disposable then?? Is the whole culture wishing that the wife shouldn't be living a long and healthy life? Why isn't my husband wearing sindoor for my long life??

Now you may say the real reason is to signal other men that this woman is married. So why men don't wear any signs of marriage. No sindoor, no mangalsutra, no bangales, no wedding ring. Nothing. Men remain the same before and after marriage. If sindoor is meant to signal that this woman is taken, then why don't men wear anything that signals that they are married too???

Anyways so what do you guys think about sindoor?? Is it an absolute necessity?