Henna hands: The international tattoo
February 28th, 2009. Posted In: Henna Tattoos, Tattoo, Women Tattoos.
I’ve always been drawn to the art of henna painting. Friends and I used to buy small henna kits and paint it on like tattoos, Americanizing this ancient, multi-cultural tradition. A student from India spoke to me about the tradition, known to her as Mehndi, as one of celebration, beauty and love.
Henna is actually the plant from which the dye is made. This plant is processed into a powder and then made into a paste. Mehndi is the application of this paste. Women dye their hands, palms, and feet before holiday celebrations and the ultimate vow of devotion – their wedding day. These intricate designs can take hours to complete. Afterwards the paste is left on overnight to dye the skin.
The student went on to explain that the intensity of the dye after the paste is washed away has a unique meaning. The darker the hue, the more loved the bride is by the groom. Woe to the bride whose henna paste washes away to a light color.
For more henna beliefs, visit Rupal Pinto’s website.
Check out Slumdog Millionair actress, Rubiana Ali’s henna’d hands here.
To learn more about this cultural tradition, including kits, tips, and henna history visit the Henna Page.
And if you’d like to meet up with people in the Detroit Metro area who are established or budding henna artists, check out the ever-useful Meetup.com.
Credits: http://www.examiner.com/x-3824-Detroit-International-Travel-Examiner~y2009m2d26-Henna-hands–The-international-tattoo
