Mehndi, the fascinating gift of nature. Mainly used by the women flock, especially on the auspicious occasions. In a recently attended Hindu marriage ceremony the author, found its usage and explains its uses and influences among the women in India .
Few days back I attended one of my friends’ daughter’s marriage functions. Since the friend was so close to me, my presence was inevitable and from the beginning I was there with the family’s every activity and arrangements in connection with the wedding. Oh, I forgot to tell you that, my friend is from a Hindu background. So there was many traditional activities which I never come across with in my religious activities.
This content’s main purpose is to tell about one such tradition the Hindu community perform at their marriage ceremonies. Applying of ‘Mehndi’ (a paste prepared from a certain kind of plants grows in hedges) on brides hands and feet.
For the preparation of this content, I enquired about mehndi with my friends and I collected the following information. Some historical facts I gathered from some historical books, dictionaries and websites. Mehndi is the Hindi word used for this wonderful gift of nature in many parts of India . In English it is known as ‘Henna’, in Telugu ‘Gorintaku’, in Tamil ‘Marudhani’, and in Malayalam it is known as ‘mylanchi’.
It is mainly used as an application for skin decoration, especially used at marriage ceremonies and some festival seasons. Among the Muslim community, it is extensively used for decorating brides. Some parts of Asia , some African countries this is used widely. In the late nineties, it becomes a fashion among the western countries too.
Anybody knows about this wonderful gift of nature will claim unanimously that it makes any woman beautiful and beautiful one doubly beautiful. It knows no age barriers, no complexion differences, and no regional, caste or creed changes.
Women-the most sophisticated of them-go all traditional with rich, red mehndi on their hands and feet. This plant grows in hedges and its natural colour known as mehndi green, when ground and applied on hand it turns a warm red color.No Indian festival, marriage or any auspicious occasion is incomplete without mehndi giving its final touch. This fascinating beauty and captivating warmth has been existing in the nature ever since man can remember. However, its use as a beauty aid started only in the first century.
In the Bible, it has been referred to as ‘Kaifire’. In Greek, it is known as ‘ Cypress hedge’. This clearly indicates that this miracle plant is not India ‘s monopoly as some claims.
In India , mehndi is a ‘monsoon craze’. Women and little girls of Punjab , Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh adore it. In the recent past some southern states like, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala too adore it. They believe that mehndi is not just a fashion aid or a personal delight but it is a necessary. If any one who rejects it on any auspicious occasion will lack something in their future life. That is the common belief among some Indian women.
Socialites like a touch of it as a casual wear. They prefer to use it more on their hair than on palms. The gleam and gloss it gives to the hair is notable. The highlights it accords become any woman’s highest glory. It is now one of the latest crazies’ among the women in urban society.
Mehndi is very popular in Rajasthan State, especially among the Marwari women. They are famed for their intricate, artistic designs. Indeed applying mehndi is no less than an art in itself. The designs are usually unique in Indian style and tradition. It is more likely for a woman to have lotus, swans, fish etc on the palms rather than roses etc.
The Method
Mehndi is ground with lemon juice, instead of water. If mixed with lady’s finger (okra) seeds mehndi gives an astounding effect. A small piece of catechu (katha) added to it is a sure winner for any mehndied hand. First, the hands and feet are thoroughly washed and dried. This is for a quicker pace of blood circulation besides cleanliness. Then mehndi oil is applied. Then comes the main thing, application of mehndi. The small stick with the paste is applied in bold geometric of fine traditional patterns. Generally a cone shaped plastic is filled with this paste and is used in applying mehndi.
After applying it is wrapped with tissue or plastic tapes and allows it dry overnight and when the paste is dried, sugar dissolved in lemon juice is dabbed onto the pattern with cotton wool. The dried mehndi is gently scrapped with a knife or any other such instruments. Care should be taken, never to wash the hands or feet immediately afterwards the mehndi is taken off. Instead, some oil, preferably mustard oil should be applied. PV
Source:
Sabdasagaram
World Book,
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bharathacharitham
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