What is Mehndi?

MEHNDI is an ancient form of body art that has been practiced in the Middle East, India and parts of Africa for thousands of years. Mehndi is often viewed as a woman's practice though it has indeed been practiced by men. Mehndi is the art of applying designs to the skin through the application of pastes made with henna powder on different parts of the body. Henna was most often applied to the hands and feet.

Henna was first applied as a means to cool down the body. A dot was applied to the palm of the hands and helped to cool the body.

After becoming bored with the look of the single dot on the palm, the early users of henna began to add lines and other shapes. Eventually this elaboration became the beautiful designs we see today.

In the different cultures where the practice of Mehndi flourished, different styles and ways of application developed. There are the fine lines of designs of Pakistan and India. There are the more geometric patterns and designs of Morocco. There are the bold geometric shapes and patterns of various parts of Africa created with a method of tape resist. Mehndi patterns are created with the application of paste with gold rods, plastic cones, plastic bottles with tips, syringes, toothpicks and other tools henna artists have developed to get the job done and express themselves through the art of Mehndi.

Copyright © 2001-2005... All documents, text, pictures, designs enclosed are the property of Maureen Jones, EveryDay Mehndi,(unless otherwise indicated and may not be copied or used for any purposes without the written permission of Maureen Jones or the artist or writer indicated. Henna artists are welcomed to use patterns and designs for their own work but must at all times give credit to the original creator of the work. Site design by sleeping baby productions