Mehndi

Like my hands? I do. When they're decorated with mehndi anyway!

Mehndi is an old tradition practiced all over the world, especially South Asia. It's an art in my opinion. It's commonly used to decorate the hands and feet, as this is where you get the darkest stain.

To create these stains you start with a paste made from a henna plant. You put the paste in a bag, with a tiny hole cut in one corner. You squeese out the paste much like you would icing from a tube for a cake. As the henna comes out, you let it touch the skin, but try very hard not to smudge. For while it takes a very long time (a good minimum time is 2 hours) for a deep stain to set, it will still start it's stain instantly!

Henna has uses for many things, from dyes, hair colourant, to mehndi for the skin.

Here's some links to some really interesting traditions and practices using mehndi!

For starters, here's a http://www.hennapage.com/henna/how/index.html]Great Website that shows you how to create your own designs.

Bridal Mehndi is probably the most common time you'll see it used. Actually, at work I keep getting asked if I've been to a wedding! lol. Here's an excellent Video showing a mehndi ceremony before a wedding! I want to go to one so badly!

Many women also love to get their Bellies decorated with mehndi when they are pregnant. If I am ever pregnant one day, I intend to have mine done, that's for sure!

Online you can find many patterns for Hands and Feet, however, as cultures find themselves colliding in the modern world, people now experiment with where they use henna (as was noted in the video). It's becoming common to find people using them as a form of temporary tattoo on Backs, arms, or on shoulders.

Even men over here are getting into it these days.



I just love mehndi, and I really encourage you to try it out! You can often find it in Pakistani supermarkets, or if you just google it in your area you might find someone who makes it at home for sale. And hey! If you try it out, please post a link to some pictures of it, I'd be interested to see what you do!




**As a warning, please be careful of something known as PPD. Aka "black henna". Often you will find this at amusement parks and fairs. They will almost always ask you to sign a waiver, this is because it is DANGEROUS! It is not like henna at all, which is safe and natural. Read more about PPD here