Mehndi / Henna Body Art of India

Mehndi is a type of body art found in the Indian Subcontinent. It involves decorative designs drawn on the body (mainly hands and legs) with a paste made from henna leaves. It’s a prominent form of body art among women in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and the Maldives, with similar practices found in the Middle East and North Africa.

In the Indian subcontinent, mehndi has a ceremonious importance. It’s mostly used at weddings for Sikh, Muslim, and Hindu brides but is also common during other religious festivals such as Diwali, Navratri, Karva Chaut, etc.

Mehendi originated from the Arab region and is believed to be brought by the Mughals. Common mehendi designs include geometric patterns, peacocks and floral designs. Apart from body art, Mehendi or henna is also applied to colour hair. Recently, there have been attempts to create henna based pastes to decorate dupattas and saris.