HENNA

HENNA

Mehndi (henna) in Pakistan is a temporary form of skin decoration traditionally drawn in delicate, intricate, exquisite patterns on the hands and feet of women, typically for any festival or occasion, especially for big celebrations like weddings. Though it has been used for body art and hair dye since the Bronze Age, henna has had a recent renaissance in Euro-American (Western) culture of exotic creations of body art (‘henna tattoos’ at carnivals, festivals and fun fairs / holistic fayres), growing in complexity and elaboration, with new innovations in glitter, gilding, and fine line work..

Mehndi has great significance in all Eastern wedding traditions. The ‘Mehndi Ceremony’ (Mehndi-ki-raat, literally translated - Mehndi Night), is one of the most important and grandest pre-wedding functions. In some religions, unless the mother-in-law has applied the first dot of mehndi to the bride’s hand, the application cannot go ahead. The mehndi dot is considered to be a symbolic blessing, bestowal of which permits the new daughter-in-law to beautify herself for the groom. There’s nothing sacred or spiritual about it, but it is considered beneficial and lucky, as well as beautiful. The designs adorn both the front and back of the hands, sometimes all the way up to the elbows and the feet, sometimes all the way up to the knees. Some popular beliefs are that the darker the design, the more her in-laws and in particular, the husband, will love her and that a darker design signifies the strength of love/affection/passion in the marriage.

My personal opinion is that this might have been contrived to make the bride sit patiently for the paste to dry and yield a dark and deep design. I also believe that for the bride, the process is therapeutic in calming and preparing her for the event, as she is forced to relax and wait for the paste to do its job properly. A bride is not expected to perform any chores until her wedding mehndi has faded; another reason to have a dark and deep design. A bride's wedding designs usually includes a hidden inscription of the groom's name on her palm. It's believed, if the groom fails to find his name within the intricate patterns, the bride will be more dominant in conjugal life. 

The Night of the Henna, a ceremony during which henna is applied to the hands and feet of a bride-to-be, and often to other members of the wedding party, was celebrated by most groups in the areas where henna grew naturally: Jews,Muslims,Hindus, Christians, and Zoroastrians, among others, all celebrated marriages by adorning the bride, and often the groom, with henna. Brides typically had the most henna, and the most complex patterns, to express their great joy, and their desire for luck. Some bridal traditions were very complex, such as those in Yemen, where the Jewish bridal henna process took four or five days to complete, with multiple applications and resist work.

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