Mehndi Painting

Mehndi is one of the sixteen adornments bestowed on a bride during Solah Shringar. In this way, mehndi marks the rite of passage of marriage in a girl's life and her initiation into womanhood. For more information on Solah Shringar and the sixteen adornments of a woman, read about our Solah Shringar party.

The intricate mehndi designs, which are painted on both the hands and feet, may contain a secret language. Designs include geometric and figurative motifs such as flowers and leaf and vine patterns, and traditional hindu religious symbols. Mehndi symbolizes satisfaction and happiness in marriage. This belief is connected with its red color which is also the color of the bride's dress. The process of applying the designs takes on a ritualistic aspect. The mehndi is applied to the bride's hands and feet the night before the marriage ceremony by the bride's female relatives who spend several hours applying the designs. The process may take anywhere from three to eight hours depending upon the complexity of the designs and whether or not both the hands and feet are decorated.

The henna plant is common in India and is used in rural areas as a hedge. Rural women may pick fresh mehndi leaves and prepare them for the application. However it is also sold in powder form. The plant is prepared and made into a paste. Lemon juice is added to the paste to intensify its red color. Other ingredients are added to increase smoothness and viscosity. The finished paste is placed into a cone. During the process of laying out the design, the cone does not touch the skin, but rather, the henna is laid out onto the skin like a thread. The flow of the henna must be controlled in order to produce an even line. The thickness of this line determines the amount of die from the henna that penetrates the skin. After the henna design is laid out on the skin, a mixture of lemon and sugar is dabbed over the design to set it. The longer the design is left undisturbed, the deeper the color will be. Later the henna is removed by rubbing the hands together, revealing a reddish color where the henna touched the skin. Our designs lasted for different lengths of time. Mine lasted a few days.

In addition to adornment, henna plays a role in medicine. We were told of its cooling effect and conditioning properties on the skin. Thus, it can be used to treat burns and sores.