Henna: Fragrance & Colour of Indian Weddings

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Henna

Henna or mehandi is absolutely essential to Indian weddings. No wedding can be imagined without the fragrant mehandi designs adorning the palms of the bride. Have you ever thought why is this mehandi or henna so significant for Indian weddings? The mehandi function is an integral part of the wedding rituals, and the time-consuming application process serves as a reminder for the bride-to-be to slow down in the middle of all the chaos. Well, Wedding Affair breaks it down for you.

Mehandi at Weddings

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Traditionally, the mehandi night happens with great celebration before the big day to keep the bride’s stress level under control. The green mehandi paste is put to the hands and feet, which house the nerve endings in the body, to help calm the bride’s nerves. While having the elaborate designs etched on to the limbs ensures that the bride has to switch off from her gadgets and just be in the moment today, originally, it signified her confinement to her home until the wedding. Of course, many such things can also account for superstition. But the idea behind the custom was to keep the bride-to-be safe and peaceful before her big day. Mehandi is also a part of the solah shringar (16 steps) as in the recommendations of the ancient texts to get the bride ready for her new life. Not only it finds close links to bring ingluck, joy and beauty, its scent also popular to have aphrodisiac properties. (Source: Vogue)

The Rich History

The Mughals brought Mehandi to India as late as the 15th century AD. As the use of Mehendi spread, its application methods and designs became more sophisticated. The tradition of Henna or Mehandi originated in North Africa and the Middle East. It is popular to have been in use as a cosmetic for the last 5000 years. According to the professional henna artist and researcher Catherine C Jones, the beautiful patterning prevalent in India today emerged only in the 20th century. In the 17th century India, the barber’s wife was usually ‘The Woman’ for applying henna on women. Most women from that time in India find depictions with their hands and feet hennaed, regardless of social class or marital status.

Significance in Indian culture

Henna
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Henna finds its place in many traditions in India. Its application deeply associates and relates with sentiments of the general public. The art of Henna-application is also popular with name Mehandi in India. Mehandi is an integral part of many festivals. It is mainly applied to celebrations like Engagement ceremony, weddings, on the birth of a child, naming ceremony, on occasions of observing fasts such as Karwa Chauth, Teej, Diwali, Eid etc.

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