Mehandi is a ceremonial art that originated in India but is practised all over the world. Mehndi also known as Henna or heena is and ancient body art. It modern days it is used as skin decoration technique like tattoo. But Heena tattoo is a temporary tattoo. In India Henna has religious values and is part of special occasions like wedding and festivals. The art is usually drawn on palms and feet. But In the western world it is applied everywhere a tattoo can be drawn. Henna doesn’t have any side effects. Henna, produces a red-orange dye molecule called lawsone. This molecule has an affinity for bonding with protein, and thus has been used to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather, silk and wool. It is usually drawn on the hands and feet, where the color will be darkest because the skin contains higher levels of keratin which binds permanently to lawsone, the colorant of henna.
The patterns of mehndi are typically quite intricate and predominantly applied to brides before wedding ceremonies. However, Mehndi decorations became fashionable in the West in the late 1990s, where they are sometimes called “henna tattoos”.
Indian weddings, which are traditionally multi-day affairs, involve many intricate ceremonies, such as “mehndi”, the practice of painting intricate patterns on the bride’s hands and feet. The idea is to make the bride feel like a princess as she is about to start a new life.
The Arabic style is very famous among the young girls. This style of applying henna includes less detailing and fill-up, the design includes large floral prints and then shading them. The palm is not covered completely as in other henna styles. The design takes up to 20 mins to finish. Arabic mehndi is very famous. They are bridal mehendi designs used in Arabic culture. Pakistani mehndi styles are also very popular worldwide. They are similar to Arabic mehndi designs.
The Rajasthani style of applying henna includes a very detailed design and the design also include “peacock” like bird.
Henna is a natural pigment made from henna leaves crushed into a fine powder and then mixed into a paste. Ready made henna can be bought in tubes and squeezed over a stencil or squeezed directly onto the skin to form a design. The henna pigment can last on the skin for 10 days or longer and creates a brownish red “tattoo”.
Henna also has medicinal properties which help to lower body temperature, condition skin and nails, etc. This increases the uniqueness and importance of henna/mehendi.
Temporary tattoos are a great way to adorn your body with a unique design without having to commit to the pain, expense and permanence of a real tattoo. They also provide an ideal opportunity to try on many different designs to match your mood, your clothing or an occasion when you want to stand out from the crowd.
Henna tattoos are popular for those people that wish to get a tattoo without the pain associated and the permanence of the ink in the skin. Henna tattoos can last up to four weeks and are created through henna powder which is made into a paste and applied to the skin.
Many henna tattoos are meant to be drawn by hand and therefore some people choose to avoid the use of patterns, rather seeking a pattern and drawing this pattern by hand. This is a way to create a unique tattoo through the use of a picture.