Mehndi: Desi chic at its best

The lovely decorative art is one of the sub-continent’s most popular style statements and has progressed from being just a wedding fashion. These days it isn’t uncommon to see young women with pretty hennaed hands. Many use it as an alternative to tattoos, as unlike permanent tattoos, mehndi designs are temporary.




When did it start?

There is no concrete evidence suggesting the exact origin of the art. Studies show that ancient Egyptians used henna to decorate the bodies of their dead to appease god.

According to some documents, the art of applying mehndi in India dates back to the time when the Mughals invaded the country. But there are other sources that are based on many pictorial depictions which say that the art came to the fore in the country only in the 20th century AD.




What are the constituents of the mehndi mixture/paste and how is it applied?

Henna plants can be easily grown anywhere in the Indian sub-continent. The leaves of the Henna plant (Lawsonia Inermis) are dried in the shade for a few weeks and then crushed and ground to make the henna powder. The powder is then sieved through a muslin cloth. A concentrated tea decoction is then added to the powder so as to make a mixture of thick consistency. This is followed by a few drops of eucalyptus oil, lime juice and a tablespoon of sugar. The mixture is stirred and kept aside for around 12 hours.

The mehndi mixture or the mehndi recipe has many variations depending on the mehndi artist.

The mehndi can be applied either free hand or with a pen, stencil, toothpick or cone and left to dry for around 4 to 12 hours. A good idea would be to apply the mehndi before going to bed. The longer you leave the mixture on, the brighter will be the design. The designs do not last very long in summer because sweat causes them to fade faster.

The mehndi mixture and cones can be made or home or even bought from the market.



Tips to make the mehndi last longer

- Leave the mixture on for at least 12 hours

- Try this when the mixture is drying on your hands: Add some sugar to lemon juice. Gently dab the mehndi mixture with cotton wool soaked in the lemon juice. Repeat every 15 or 20 minutes.

- After you scrape off the mehndi mixture, rub some oil on your hands.

- Avoid washing your hands for the next 12 hours.

- Avoid using a sunscreen on hennaed hands.




Mehndi designs

Mehndi designs can broadly be classified into Indian, Pakistani, Arabic, African.

Indian designs vary from simple to complex. While the simple designs could be something as basic as a shaded circle, the complex ones are quite intricate and include various motifs like paisley, peacocks and other birds, flowers, leaves, curves, geometric figures, gods, religious symbols and the like; and may take over an hour or two to complete.

Arabic designs are simpler than the complex Indian ones and a distinct difference is that motifs are not filled. In other words, the designs are only outlined.

African designs are a labyrinth of dots, circles, squares, lines and curves and usually cover the hands and legs.

Pakistani mehndi designs on the other hand are a melange of Indian and Arabic styles and tend to be quite intricate and complex.



Black henna - a no no

Driven by a desire to make their mehndi design look like a tattoo, a recent trend among henna enthusiasts is using black henna (Indigofera tinctoria). This is not advisable because black henna contains Phenylenediamine or PPD that could cause allergic reaction on the skin. Always use pure henna because it only has natural ingredients safe for your skin.

Mehndi classes

Though there are many books on this subject in the market and lots of designs and tutorials on the Net, attending mehndi classes would be a better idea. You can master the art with the help of a skilled mehndi artist and invent your own designs and make your life more colourful. Pretty hennaed hands are always a happy sight!