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 been and continues to be 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. Today, however, as Mehndi become more popular in the West, henna designs are regularly done on limbs and torso and the head as well as on 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.

Mehndi has a long history of use. However, Mehndi remains fresh as it renews itself as each person discovers it and begins their own individual journey with henna and mehndi. Mehndi is about the past. But mehndi is also about now. Mehndi is about the now moments when you first smell the scent of fresh henna powder that you will never forget. It is about the now moment of seeing dye release resting on top of your paste...The now moment of applying your first paste to skin...The now moment that occurs each time you scrape off the paste to reveal the stain beneath...The now you see it and now you don't moments of a henna stain that develops, peaks and then fades away to reveal skin now ready for your next creation. Mehndi is an opportunity to provide special moments for yourself and others. And far beyond a stain created by henna, Mehndi is a process and opportunity and way to be with others creatively, gently, and joyously.

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