A Look into Mehndi

Mar 6

During the spring months, you may have seen your friends with elaborate temporary tattoos on their arms. This is called Mehndi, known more colloquially as Henna, and it is a popular cultural practice in many Southeast and African countries. From an outside perspective, it looks like body art. However, Mehndi has a rich history, one that can bring together many cultures regardless of their different backgrounds.

What is Mehndi?

Mehndi is a paste made from dried and ground-up leaves of the Henna plant, Lawsonia Inermis. The ground leaves are often combined with sugar, lemon juice, and essential oils to make a paste, which is filled into a cone-shaped bag and sealed with a pin. Mehndi stains the skin temporarily, leaving it a red or brown color.

When is it used?

Mehndi is most commonly used in Hindu and Sikh adjacent cultures. In these cultures, there are many pre-wedding events, one of which is called a Mehndi. It could be compared to a Bachelorette party. There's plenty of music, dancing, and food as everyone celebrates the togetherness of love. Coincidentally, the wedding event shares a name with this practice of painting on the skin. At these events, Mehndi is applied to the hands and feet of the bride and groom to wish them good luck and prosperity. There's a little joke layered in it. The name of the groom is hidden in the pattern. Because marriages in Desi culture are often arranged, both parties aren’t well-acquainted with each other. Mehndi serves as an icebreaker and a game.

Types of Mehndi

Mehndi is popular in the Afro-Asian world, and it changes styles depending on where it's from. Factors like beliefs, religion, and even pottery can affect it. Styles include but are not limited to Indian Mehndi, Pakistani mehndi, Turkish mehndi, Moroccan Mehndi, and African Mehndi.

Indian Mehndi has many fine, thin lines with lacy and paisley patterns. You can see many representations of Gods and Goddesses like Kali and Shiva, especially in Bridal Mehndi. Lotuses are another popular design; it is important in both Hindu and Buddhist cultures because they represent spiritual enlightenment. It is said that every person has a Lotus flower in their heart and that it will bloom when they achieve enlightenment. These designs show a story developing, as opposed to just one panel.

Pakistani mehndi has many floral designs, with thick, filled-in parts as opposed to the negative space popular in other cultures. Leaves and dots are integral to this style and form many different patterns. Typically, red and orange Mehndi are preferred.

Turkish mehndi is influenced by its history with Islam. In the Muslim faith, it’s believed that drawing animals, people, or anything alive is slander to Allah. This is why architecture in a Muslim country will never express ‘life’. The one exception is flowers and plants. It's the complete opposite of Indian Mehndi. Verses from the Holy Quran are also written in stunning calligraphy.

Moroccan Mehndi is influenced by its architecture. The straight lines can combine together to create shapes of many different complexity. The varying lines of thickness add to the texture of the appearance.

African Mehndi has many geometric shapes and abstract angles. They include natural emblems that can be specific depending on the region in Africa. It is seen as a symbol of pride and is worn by men and teenage boys more often than in the previous cultures.

The history of Mehndi is so widespread that it is hard to trace. Some believe that Mehndi was first discovered by Middle Eastern societies as a way to cool down their bodies against the sun. However, it was soon noticed that it left a red stain. Egyptians used it to dye the limbs of pharaohs because the red stain was believed to increase awareness of elemental energy. Cleopatra was well-known for painting her nails a reddish-brown with it. This tradition followed the path of Islam. It made its way to Africa from Roman trade routes and towards the East alongside Hinduism and Buddhism.

Other uses for Mehndi

Mehndi isn't used on the hands and feet for body tattoos, but also for beautification and health. However, its use has many pros and cons.

Advantages

Hair:

Permanent hair color
Softens and strengthen hair, adding a shine
Prevents dandruff
Prevents lice

Body:

Prevents tumors
Prevents inflammation
Relieves pain
Relieves spasms

Disadvantages

Hair:

Once you dye your hair, it stays deep in the follicle, making it hard to remove.
If improperly applied, it can cause hair to fall out
Leaving on for too long can make the hair brittle and dry, or make one very sick. The colds have been described as aches, muscle aches, and mucus congestion
Corrosive to metal and can make the substance dangerous

Body:

Can cause itchiness, burning, swelling, scarring
Allergic reactions

Globalization

This practice can be considered the American equivalent of tattooing. In America, tattoos are applied with a machine and typically come in many different colors. They can be applied for any reason on any occasion. However, Mehndi is applied with a cone. It only comes in shades of brown and red and is typically applied for celebrations.

The globalization of Mehndi invites cultural appropriation. The difference between appropriation and appreciation is that appreciation involves understanding the cultural and historical context of a practice. By understanding the meaning and reason for the mehndi application, one learns how to use it respectfully. Appropriation is used in mockery, intentional or not, and can be unsafe.

Dangers

When cultural practices become famous, it invites cheap imitations. For example, there's a type of mehndi called ‘black mehndi’. This refers to a mehndi that is made with artificial chemicals. Although it dries quicker, it often harms the skin. It can cause scarring and burning. It’s advised not to use.

Mehndi, derived from the root word Al-Hinna, is a practice as timeless as the applications. When one uses Mehndi, they are pouring their heart into the recipient. Art comes in many forms; music, murals, poems, and Mehndi. Each stroke, each line, has taken endless attempts to perfect. There is no form of social control. There are no rules to Mehndi; it only expresses the freedom of the painter.

Sources:

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