Mehndi Designs Book 2013-2018: September 2013

Sunday 8 September 2013

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Beautiful Mehndi Designs Biography
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The Mughals brought Mehendi to India as lately as the 12th century AD. As the use of Mehendi spread, its applicationAccording to professional henna artist and researcher Catherine C Jones, the beautiful patterning prevalent in India today has emerged only in the 20th century. In 17th century India, the barber’s wife was usually employed for applying henna on women. Most women from that time in India are depicted with their hands and feet hennaed, regardless of social class or marital status.
The art of Mehendi has existed for centuries. The exact place of its origin is difficult to track because of centuries of people in different cultures moving through the continents and taking their art forms with them and therefore sharing their art with everyone along the way.

Some historical evidence suggests that Mehendi started in India while others believe it was introduced to India during the twelfth century A.D. I personally feel that it would be hard to argue the fact that it appeared as an art form in Egypt first.

Proof has been found that henna(Mehendi) was used to stain the fingers and toes of Pharoahs prior to mummification over 5000 years ago when it was also used as a cosmetic and for it’s healing power. The mummification process took 70 days and as the Egyptians were diligent in planning for their deaths and their rebirth in the afterlife, they became quite obsessed with the preservation process. The Egyptians believed that body art ensured their acceptance into the afterlife and therefore used tattooing and Mehendi to please the gods and guarantee a pleasant trip.

The henna used for mehendi comes from a bush called Lawsonia Inermis which is part of the loose strife family and is grown in the Sudan, Egypt, India, most of the North African counties, The Middle East and other hot and dry places. The bush is also grown in Florida and California for his ornamental appearance and often grows to be quite large, ranging from six to twenty feet in some cases. The lance- shaped leaves from the bush are harvested, dried and then crushed to make the henna powder. Henna is used for hair dye, as a skin conditioner and as a reliever for rashes. The art of Mehendi isapnimarzi 4 referred to as henna, mehndi or mehandi depending on where you are and which name you feel came first (or are most comfortable using). No matter what you call it though — the art form remains essentially the same as it was centuries ago. It is beautiful the way it stains the skin!

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Indian Mehndi Designs Biography
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The history and origin of Henna is hard to trace with centuries of migration and cultural interaction it is difficult to determine where particular traditions began. There is very persuasive evidence that the Neolithic people in Catal Huyuk, in the 7th millennium BC, used henna to ornament their hands in connection with their fertility goddess.

The earliest civilizations to have used henna include the Babylonians, Assyrians, Sumerians, Semites, Ugaritics and Canaanites. The earliest written evidence that mentions henna specifically used as an adornment for a bride or woman’s special occasion is in the Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath, inscribed on a tablet dating back to 2100 BC, found in northwest Syria. Henna has also been used extensively in southern China and has been associated with erotic rituals for at least three thousand years, during the ancient Goddess cultures.

The use of Henna in the 4th-5th centuries in the Deccan of western India is clearly illustrated on Bodhisattvas and deities of cave wall murals at Ajanta, and in similar cave paintings in Sri Lanka. The evidence proves henna usage in India seven centuries before the Moghul invasion, and hundreds of years before the inception of the Islamic religion, which began in the mid-7th century AD.

The word Henna has its origin in the Arabic word Al-Hinna. In botanical terms it is Lawsonia Enermis, a plant which grows to be 4 to 8 feet high in hot climates and can be found in Iran, Pakistan, Syria, Persia, Morocco, Palestine, Yemen, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, Afghanistan, Senegal, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and India. The leaves, flowers and the twigs of the plant are ground into fine powder containing natural dying properties called tannins; the powder is then mixed with hot water.

Various shades are procured by mixing henna with the leaves and fruit of other plants, such as indigo, tea, coffee, cloves and lemon. The resulting paste is often used as a hair dye. During hot weather, henna acts as a cooling agent when applied to the palms of the hands and the bottoms of the feet. When used in decorative body art, sugar and oil are also added to the mixture to strengthen the color and longevity of design.

While henna is known by many names including Henne, Al-Khanna, Jamaica Mignonette, Egyptian Privet and Smooth Lawsonia, the art of its application is referred to as Henna (Arabic) or Mendhi (Hindu).

Centuries of migration and cultural interaction make the task of determining henna’s exact origin a complex one. However, historians argue that henna has been used for at least 5,000 years in both cosmetic and healing capacities.

Some researches argue henna originated in ancient India while others claim it was brought to India by Egyptian moghuls in the 12th century C.E. Still others will contend that the tradition of applying henna to the body began in the Middle East and North Africa in ancient times.

Archaeological research indicates henna was used in ancient Egypt to stain the fingers and toes of Pharaohs prior to mummification. But research also argues the Pharaohs were not the only Egyptians to use henna. Ancient Egyptians and many indigenous and aboriginal people around the world believed that the naturally derived red substances of ochre, blood and henna had qualities that improved human awareness of the earth’s energies. It was therefore applied to help people keep in touch with their spirituality.
Ani, a mummified scribe (1400BC), had fingernails stained with henna. There are also several medieval paintings depicting The Queen of Sheba decorated with henna on her journey to meet Solomon.

Ancient and Traditional, Henna has been used for centuries for body decoration. Ancient Egyptians used henna prior to mummification. People all over the world continue to use henna, primarily for cosmetic purposes. However, in countries where henna is rooted in historical tradition, members of the working class more commonly apply henna for medicinal and healing purposes, as well as connection to Spirit.

In Cairo, Egypt, for example, many working class citizens had their hands and feet dipped in henna to produce a solid covering, which differs from the common decorative design that is usually applied for weddings and other celebrations.

As a healing plant, henna conditions, cleanses, colors and cools the skin. When applied to hair, it has the same effect. Millions of Asian and African people regularly apply henna to their hair. In these regions, henna is inexpensive, readily available, and helps to cool the scalp in the hot summer months.

Throughout time henna has been associated with special celebrations. Betrothals, weddings, the eighth month of pregnancy, the birth, the 40th day after a woman gives birth, naming ceremonies, etc, are all events celebrated with henna. Eids, and other religious holidays are also occasions to be hennaed. There are also some healing ceremonies, like the Zar in North Africa, which include its use. A common practice seen in India and in the Islamic world is the pre-wedding tradition of ‘Night of Henna’ parties, like the Sudanese one described earlier.

The art form of henna decorating has been practiced in Northern Africa, the Middle East, Southern Asia, and Europe and has been used by Hindus, Sikhs, Jews, Moslems, Christians, Pagans, and others; and varies from region to region. Varying designs have a different meaning for members of each culture, such as good health, fertility, wisdom, protection and spiritual enlightenment. The most popular traditional use is tied closely with weddings and bridal preparation; these designs tend to be the most ornate, covering the most area. Depending on the culture, men may use it as well as women, usually for more symbolic purposes; masculine designs are generally very basic, simple and small in design.

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Saturday 7 September 2013

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Simple Mehndi Designs Biography
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The art of applying henna in hands and feet is known as Mehndi and it is a very old custom and ancient art form of the Asian subcontinent. The propagators were the Mughals. The Mughals taught us all about the history of Mehndi and introduced it to India during 12th century AD. During that period the royal and rich use to decorate themselves with it. The patterns were intricately made by the artists or the beauticians. Indian weddings are incomplete without the Mehndi ceremony .The ritual of Mehndi ceremony is followed in every part of the country where the hands of the bride are adorned with the lovely red color of the Mehndi. On these festive or wedding occasions mostly traditional Indian designs are made on the hands of the bride.
The origin can be from Egypt because it was one of the art forms in Egypt. It has the evidence that it has been found that henna was used to stain the fingers and toes of Pharaohs earlier to mummification. The mummification process took many days and as the Egyptians were diligent in planning their rebirth after their death, they became quite fanatical in the preservation process. The Egyptians believed that body art ensured their recognition into the afterlife and therefore used Mehndi to identify them.
Henna has the power of medicine was also used as a cosmetic and for it's healing power for ages.The beautiful patterning prevalent in India today has emerged only in the 20th century. India, most of the women from that time in India is depicted with their hands and feet with red stain designs. The art of Mehndi has existed for centuries. No exact place of its origin is identified because of people in different cultures moving through the continents and taking their art forms with them and therefore sharing their art with everyone along the way.
The bushes can be grown in dry and hot conditions. The leaves are processed as a skin conditioner and as a reliever for rashes. The henna used for mehndi comes from a bush which is grown in the Africa and India called Lawsonia Inermis in the Middle East and other hot and dry places. Henna is used for hair dye and as a conditioner. The art of Mehndi is referred to as henna or Mehndi
Mehndi is a substitute for tattooing for people who are too scared to tolerate the poking of a needle. Mehndi will be wonderful for such people. Some people like permanent tattoos and some are comfortable with temporary forms of body art. When you use henna to decorate your body it cools your body too.
Henna patterns will be beautiful and have four different styles.
1. The Middle Eastern style is mostly made up of floral patterns similar to the Arabic paintings.
2. The North African style follows the shape of the hands and feet using floral patterns.
3. The Indian and Pakistani designs include lines patterns and teardrops.
4. The Indonesian and Southern Asian styles were a mix of Middle Eastern and Indian designs using blocks of color on the very tips of their toes and fingers.

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Pakistani Mehndi Designs Biography
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Whenever there is any happy occasion or festivity, the Indian women celebrate it by applying henna designs on their hands and feet. Apart from serving the role of a body art, applying henna is also considered as very auspicious. Heena application is a complex art and the artist needs to be proficient to be able to paint intricate designs swiftly. Also called Mehndi, one can prepare the henna by making a paste out of the henna powder available in the markets across India. Traditionally, it is made by grinding the leaves of the henna tree to a paste.

While using mehendi leaves, it should be ensured that they are not whole and unbroken after grinding. Henna does leave its deep red-brown stain on the skin until the Lawson molecules are not released from the leaf and this happens only when the leaves are properly grinded. So, people prefer using the henna powder for this form of body art. You need to mix henna powder with lemon juice, strong tea or other mildly acidic liquid, apply this paste and leave it on for about 10 hours to dry. Later, you can scrap it off with a blunt knife or a spoon.

Since mehndi is considered lucky, in our country, its application on the hands and feet of a bride is mandatory. Henna artists usually apply the most complex mehndi patterns and designs on the bride as these look the loveliest. The traditional Indian henna has been glammed up lately with the use of glitters and other such things. People wear them to parties and get-togethers. But it's the traditional henna that is widely worn by most people because it is much cheaper and looks much more beautiful.

In our country, henna artists generally belong from the Nai (barber) caste. The history of mehendi tells us that the knowledge or skill of its application is normally passed down from one generation to another. Mehendi application also provides a source of income to many women who are not allowed to work outside. All happy occasions in India, be it birth, weddings or religious ceremonies; include henna application as part of the celebration.

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