Mehndi

Prina was showing off her Mehndi this morning.

It had taken her sister lots of skill and patience to do both hands. The results were superb. The family are off to a Wedding this afternoon. Happy days ...

Mehndi (Hindi) is the application of henna as a temporary form of skin decoration in Pakistan and India, as well as by expatriate communities from those countries.

Traditional mehndi designs draw the sun on the palm, which in this context represents the mind. Mehndi decorations became fashionable in the West in the late 1990s, where they are sometimes called henna tattoos. Henna is typically applied during special occasions like weddings and Hindu festivals like Karva Chauth, Diwali, Bhaidooj and Teej. In some Hindu festivals, every woman tries to have Henna done on her hands and feet. It is usually drawn on the palms and feet, where the colour will be darkest because the skin contains higher levels of keratin which binds temporarily to lawsone, the colourant of henna. Henna was originally used as a form of decoration mainly for brides.