"A bride adorned with intricate henna, ready to embark on her journey"

 

Mehndi nights are a colorful, decadent event coupled with Sangeet (music and dancing). The celebration occurs alongside loved ones as they shower the to-be-married couple with love and light—unique blessings that are incomparable to anything else. Mehndi Night is thrown prior to the wedding day. It's a day to relish in breathtaking dance performances by friends and family of the bride and groom, indulge in the most mouthwatering foods you can dream of and feast on the variety of designs on Hennaed Hands. Traditionally, the bride's henna is the most elaborate. She is adorned in intricate Mehndi patterns by the end of the night—palms, arms, legs, the whole nine yards. (Just imagine the dedication of sitting still for that long). Married couples reflect back on their Mehndi night with a sweet smile as they reminisce on unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime memories.

Mehandi used to traditionally be applied by someone happily married from the bride's inner circle of friends and family. It was believed that with each swirl of Mehandi paste on the skin, the bride would be blessed with good vibes and wishes. During the Turkish ‘henna evening', which is a fun pre-wedding event similar to the Indian Mehandi function, henna is traditionally brought in by the bride's mother-in-law, and dispatched in blobs.

The new face of bridal mehandi

With time, henna application has become an art form, and today, brides book professional mehandi artists keeping their aesthetic sensibilities in mind. Brides may decide to go Indian or Arabic when it comes to designs today, but will still request the us to hide the spouse's initials within the patterns, as dictated by the custom. As the old wife's tale goes, the colour of mehandi signals how much the bride will be loved in her new household, which explains why the quest for the darkest henna persists.

Some from the close-knit community of artists have also managed to create signature patterns and generate a cult following. But the one thing that hasn't changed is the spirit of the Mehandi evening. What started out as an informal event where the women of the household would come together to shake a leg and share secrets to conjugal bliss with the bride-to-be, continues to remain as exactly that. While it has definitely become more glamorous, the fun, casual vibe of Mehandi nights is still the same as it used to be.

A touch of today

In the same breath, we would laugh about the unverified superstitions taught to us by our elders that the deeper the stain of Mehndi on a bride’s palms, the deeper the love of their spouse. We would ponder the significance of a groom locating his name or initials within the bride’s Mehndi before the end of the night. We would enlighten others on the history of Mehndi—the way the cool paste was originally used as a remedy to rid brides of any lingering stresses and frazzled nerves prior to their wedding day.

We would educate others about the medicinal properties of Mehndi—the way the paste can be used to cure a headache or prevent hair loss and show others the way Mehndi can be used as a magnificent hair dye that strengthens and rejuvenates hair in the same light.

Today, we would happily share our own experiences and stories excitedly with anyone who showed interest and invite them to experience the fun with us.