Henna Cat - What is Mehndi?

What is Mehndi? (also known as Hina Menhadi, menhada, rajan, menhadi, mehendi, mehedi, mendi, mendika)

The plant:

Mehndi is the Hindi word for Henna, henna painting and the resulting designs.
The word Henna is the Persian name for the small flowering shrub Lawsonia Inermis, from which we get the henna dye.
It was originally found in Australia, Asia and Africa.
It is also known as Mignonette Tree or Egyptian Privet.

How is Henna Used?

Decorating your body with henna is not only beautiful to look at, henna has many other uses to this day (particularly in India and North Africa). The Henna plant is a magical plant with transformative powers. With it’s tiny fragrant flowers and green leaves, it must have been miraculous for ancient people that these average green leaves gave forth such a vivid red dye which had such tremendous healing and cooling properties. For these reasons Henna was honoured and blessed.

Medical uses include:

Antiseptic
Astringent
Relieves pain associated with bruises and sprains
Reduces fever
Good for removing athlete’s foot
Cools sweaty hands and burning feet
Treats boils, burns and open wounds
Treats ringworm

Other uses:

Conditions hair
Dyes hair
Kills head lice
Used to dye leather and cloth
Used to dye the hooves and manes of horses
Ceremonial markings on humans and animals

Origins

It is difficult to determine the origins of henna because the practice is so ancient and it is associated with myth in many cultures.

Henna in Egypt

The earliest evidence is from ancient Egypt where it was considered ill-mannered not to dye your fingernails with henna. Traces of Henna have been found on 5,000 year old mummies.

Henna in the Bible

Henna was also popular amongst the Hebrews and Jews and the tradition spread throughout the Middle East. It is thought to be the substance referred to as Camphire in the Bible.

Henna in Indian Mythology

Shiva’s consort – Parvati – would decorate herself with Henna in order to please him. He responded to her charms and being a very difficult husband to please, earned mehndi the association of irresistible sensual allure and marital prosperity. In addition is it thought to placate the Gods and ingratiate the adorned woman and protect her and her family. In particular lakshmî, the Goddess of prosperity dwells in henna designs and women who paint their hands and feet with henna will feel Lakshmî ’s presence and earn her favour. However Lakshmî will be affronted if the woman does not respect the custom of Henna and serious consequences will follow!

Shringar is a Hindi word that means ‘beauty of a woman’s creativity’ and henna is one of the ways in which an Indian woman expresses this power of beauty beneath the surface. The ‘Solar Shringar’ lists henna amongst the 16 adornments of a woman and the Kama Sutra describes henna tattooing as one of the 64 arts of women.

Places to Henna

Healing Hands

Henna stains the hands with it’s healing dye more than any other part of the body. Warmer and more sensitive than other parts of the body the hand is the perfect canvas for henna. Henna began as a softening and rejuvenating treatment of hardworking hands, then later became linked with wedding ceremonies. It is magical and exciting having your hands decorated with henna knowing that for centuries it has been associated with ritual and romance.

Fingertips

Fingertips dipped in henna is deeply associated with feminine beauty in India. Henna stains the fingernails a deep and long-lasting red colour that takes many months to grow out.

Finger designs can decorate the top or bottom of the finger or both. Designs can wrap around the finger like rings and can be designed to match existing jewellery or hennaed bracelets. The thumb only can be patterned or a design can run along the outside of the little finger and down to the wrist.

Palm of the hand

The palm yields dazzling results when hennaed, light skin and warmth enable henna to develop it’s strongest colour. The palm evokes images of opening and offering – the sun, flowers, mandalas.

Back of the hand

The back of the hand is an elegant surface to work on with designs weaving down the hand to the wrist. The back of the hand acts as a shield and many motifs used are symbols of protection.

Soles of the feet

The soles of the feet are the point of divine contact between the human and the earth. Henna is used to beautify the feet but it’s use began practically, to protect and draw heat away from desert scorched feet. Henna stains feet as darkly as hands, the arch remaining a little lighter. You do have to consider the practicalities of staining your feet with henna!

Top of the feet

The top of the feet can be stained to resemble jewellery, shoes or general designs. The skin is fine here and henna is guaranteed to make even the most ugly feet look beautiful.

Wrist/Lower arm and Ankle/lower leg

These areas stain a little lighter than the hands and feet and are often incorporated into hand/foot designs. Bracelets and anklets can be designs in their own right.

Necklaces

The skin in the area of the neck and collarbone exfoliates quickly and does not keep a strong colour. However henna complements and emphasises the graceful curves of the neck and the stain will last about a week.

Upper arm/upper leg

Varied colour results depending on circulation and how long the henna is left in place, the higher up your leg you go, the warmer the skin and the saucier you can be!

Belly

The stain here is often light and quite difficult to achieve as you cannot sit, bend, drive or twist without the pattern smearing or cracking off, but designs around the navel are popular and always look good.

Shoulders/back

The shoulders and back offer a larger canvas for henna and designs can be much bigger than on the limited space available elsewhere on the body. The stain is varied according to individuals.

Hair

Henna can of course be used to dye your hair! Be sure to only use the best quality henna, as some low quality henna has green dye added which can dye the hair just as well as henna!

Further Reading

The Art of Mehndi – Sumita Batra, Liz Wilde (Carlton Books Ltd)

Mehndi – Loretta Roome (Saint Martin's Press)

Catharine Hinton

BSc (Hons), PgDip, MPGBT.

Professional Mehndi Artist

Special occasions - Corporate Events -Trade Fairs - Company fun days -Childrens birthday parties - Adults parties – Hen Parties - Promotions -School Fairs - Bridal Menhdi Art - Advertising, Film and TV Work -Fashion Shows and Shoots

Contact me be email or 07970 795583