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Mehndi is a form of Body art using a paste created with henna. In the West, mehndi is commonly known as henna tattoo, although it is not a Tattoo.
Mehndi is a popular form of body art in South Asia and resembles similar traditions of henna as body art found in North Africa, East Africa and the Middle East. There are many different names for mehndi across the languages of South Asia.
There are many different designs and forms of mehndi, often known as henna. For celebrations, women traditionally apply mehndi to their hands and feet; however, some people, such as cancer sufferers and women with alopecia, may also decide to adorn their scalps. The standard color of mehndi is brown, but other design colors such as white, red, black and gold are sometimes used.
In South Asia, mehndi is applied on the body during both Hindu and Muslim weddings. Hindu women apply mehndi during festivals like Karva Chauth, Vat Purnima, Diwali, Bhai Dooj, Navaratri, Durga Puja, and Teej. Muslim women apply mehndi during occasions like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
At Hinduism and Sikhism festivals, women often have henna applied to their hands, feet and sometimes the backs of their shoulders. Conversely, men usually have it applied on their arms, legs, back, and chest. For women, it is usually drawn on their palms, backs of their hands, and feet, where the design will be clearest due to contrast with the lighter skin on these surfaces, which naturally contains less of the pigment melanin.
Mehndi paste is usually applied to the skin using a plastic cone, a paintbrush, or a stick. Fifteen to twenty minutes after application, the mud will dry and begin to crack. The painted area is then wrapped with tissue, plastic, or medical tape to lock in body heat, creating a more intense colour on the skin. Some modern application techniques involve wrapping the painted area to enhance color intensity.
When first removed, the henna design is pale to dark orange in color and gradually darkens through oxidation over the course of 24 to 72 hours. The final color is reddish brown and can last anywhere from one to three weeks depending on the quality and type of henna paste applied, as well as where it was applied on the body (thicker skin stains darker and longer than thin skin).
Likely due to the desire for a "tattoo-black" appearance, some people add the synthetic dye p-phenylenediamine (PPD) to henna to give it a black color. PPD may cause moderate to severe allergic reactions when applied to skin.
Among South Asian Muslims, henna ceremony is a common tradition for brides as well as other girls at weddings. It is also done for Muslim holidays on Chaand Raat. There are professionals as well for this, while other people do this on their own.
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