| Mehndi (or mehendi or mehandi) is
the application of henna as a temporary form of
skin decoration, most popular in the Middle East,
North Africa, and South Asia as well as expatriate
communities from these areas. It is typically employed
for special occasions, particularly weddings. It
is usually drawn on the hands and feet, where the
designs will last the longest.
Henna paste is usually applied to the skin using
a plastic cone or a paint brush, but sometimes
a small metal-tipped jacquard bottle used for
silk painting (a jac bottle) is used. The affected
area is then wrapped with tissue, plastic, or
medical tape to lock in body heat, creating a
more intense colour on the skin. The wrap is worn
overnight and then removed. The final colour is
reddish brown and can last anywhere from two weeks
to several months depending on the quality of
the paste.
The patterns of mehndi are typically quite intricate,
and predominantly applied to brides before wedding
ceremonies. However, traditions in India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, and Sudan sometimes expect bridegrooms
to be painted as well. In Rajasthan (northwest
India), where mehndi is a very ancient folkart,
the grooms are given designs which are often as
elaborate as those for brides.
Mehndi decorations became fashionable in the
West in the late 1990s, where they are sometimes
called "henna tattoos". This term isn't
completely accurate, because tattoos are defined
as permanent surgical insertion of pigments underneath
the skin, as opposed to pigments resting on the
surface. |
