The Art of Mehndi

Mehndi is the traditional art of designing one's hands 
and/or feet with intricate decorations with the use ofIndian Mehndi can be identified because of the
henna, which is nothing but a natural dye. It is much likepresence of either a big dot or figure drawn on the
a temporary tattoo. In fact, Mehndi is a vital part ofcenter of the palm or on the back of the hand. Further,
Indian rituals and customs. That said, the big fat Indianone's finger tips are always completely colored when
wedding is definitely not complete without the Mehndiapplying Indian Mehndi.
ceremony. The main idea behind the application of 
Mehndi on the Indian bride's hands and/or feet is toAfrican Mehndi although rarely chosen for Mehndi
make her feel like a princess!application is also very pretty. One can differentiate
 this kind of Mehndi from the rest due to the presence
 of intricate geometric figures and dots.
A Bit about Mehndi 
  
Mehndi was traditionally used as a form of decorationSignificance of Mehndi
mainly for brides. Over the years however, the 
application of Mehndi or henna has become popularThe application of Mehndi is associated with a good
with everyone and is applied on occasions other thannumber of things. One such notion goes that the
weddings like on Diwali and Eid. Its color rangesdarker the color of the bride's Mehndi, the more her
typically from reddish brown to dark brownish black,husband-to-be will love her. An interesting aspect of
depending on the preparation.Mehndi application is the incorporation of both the bride
 and groom's names in the Mehndi design. Until the
 groom has found both the names, it is said that their
Application of Mehndiwedding night will not commence. Lastly, a custom
 followed in relation to the application of Mehndi states
The paste of henna is generally applied on to one'sthat a bride should never step out of the house until
hands and/or feet using a plastic cone. At times,the Mehndi ceremony has come to an end.
mehndi artists also use a paint brush, but this method is 
not so common. Once the mehndi is applied as a 
design on the hands and/or feet, and it has begun toMehndi Celebration
dry up, it is dowsed with a mixture of sugar and lemon 
juice. The application of this mixture helps to bring out aAn Indian wedding as most know already takes place
stronger color, if so desired.over a good number of days and comprises of many
 pre-wedding functions. The Mehndi celebration is one
 of them. This ceremony usually takes place at the
Types of Mehndihouse of the bride or a place chosen by the bride and
 her family and the entire function is usually hosted and
There are many different styles of mehndi, dependingfunded by the bride's family. Nowadays, the entire
on the region from which they come from. The mostlocation is decorated with flowers and music is played
popular types are Arabic, Pakistani, African and Indian,during the entire function.
the designs of which are easily distinguishable from the 
other. 
 The Mehndi celebration is quite a fun affair. The bride
Arabic Mehndi contains less details and intricacy, whileand the women attendees choose their own Mehndi
the color is very dark. In fact, vines and leaves withdesigns at the party and then sit down during its
beautiful flowers are the trademark of Arabic Mehndi.application. Professional mehndi artists are called in for
 the ceremony. The groom too is sometimes present
Pakistani Mehndi on the other hand, is the most detailedat this ceremony and the couple-to-be are given Indian
and intricate of the lot. It thus goes without saying thatsweets, more commonly known as mithai in India.
the application of this type of Mehndi is time consuming.Guests leave with a gift at the end of the ceremony.