View source for Mehndi

{{sources|date=September 2023}}
{{short description|Temporary skin decoration}}
{{Other uses}}
[[File:All grown up and married!.jpg|thumb|200px|A [[Bengali Muslim wedding|Bengali bride]] in London with hands decorated with mehndi and bangles]]
[[File:Mehndi front.JPG|thumb|Mehndi applied on the palms]]
[[File:Mehndi 02.JPG|thumb|Mehndi applied on the backs of the hand]]'''Mehndi''' ({{Audio|Mehendi.wav|pronunciation}}) is a form of [[Body art|temporary skin decoration]] using a paste created with [[henna]]. In the West, mehndi is commonly known as '''henna tattoo,''' although it is not a [[Tattoo|permanent tattoo]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Origin and History of Henna |url=https://silknstone.com/about-henna/ |access-date=12 February 2024 |website=silknstone.com}}</ref>
Mehndi is a popular form of body art in [[South Asia]] and resembles similar traditions of henna as body art found in [[North Africa]], [[East Africa]] and the [[Middle East]]. There are many different names for mehndi across the languages of South Asia.
There are many different designs and forms of mehndi, often known as henna. For celebrations, women traditionally apply mehndi to their hands and feet, however some people, such as '''cancer''' sufferers and '''alopecia''' ladies, may also decide to adorn their scalps. Rich brown is the most popular henna color, which is produced using a natural dye made from the '''Lawsonia inermis plant.''' But modern patterns now incorporate hues like white, red, black, and gold, enabling more individualized and varied artistic expressions.
In South Asia, mehndi is applied on the body during both Hindu and Muslim weddings.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ahmad |first1=Khurshid |last2=Bukhari |first2=Zahid |date=2008 |title=Islam in the West |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/42909192 |journal=Policy Perspectives |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=127–133 |jstor=42909192 |issn=1812-1829 |quote=...the ceremony of a Muslim wedding in South Asia contains several traditions that have been adopted from Hindu traditions, such as mehndi, mayoon and barat.}}</ref> Hindu women apply mehndi during festivals like [[Karva Chauth]], [[Vat Purnima]], [[Diwali]], [[Bhai Dooj]], [[Navaratri|Navratri]], [[Durga Puja]], and [[Teej]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Chaudhri |first1=S. K. |last2=Jain |first2=N. K. |date=2009 |title=History of cosmetics |url=http://asiapharmaceutics.info/index.php/ajp/article/view/260 |journal=Asian Journal of Pharmaceutics |language=en |volume=3 |issue=3 |doi=10.22377/ajp.v3i3.260 |doi-broken-date=1 November 2024 |issn=1998-409X}}</ref> Muslim women apply mehndi during occasions like [[Eid al-Fitr]] and [[Eid al-Adha]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Packard |first=Mary |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IDeb1a5slLYC&dq=henna+used+in+muslims+weddings&pg=PT1 |title=Henna Sourcebook: Over 1,000 traditional designs and modern interpretations for body decorating |date=2012-10-01 |publisher=Race Point Publishing |isbn=978-1-937994-08-2 |language=en}}</ref>
At [[Hinduism|Hindu]] and [[Sikhism|Sikh]] festivals, women often have henna applied to their hands, feet and sometimes the backs of their shoulders. Conversely, men usually have it applied on their arms, legs, back, and chest. For women, it is usually drawn on their palms, backs of their hands and on feet, where the design will be clearest due to contrast with the lighter skin on these surfaces, which naturally contains less of the pigment [[melanin]].{{Cn|date=May 2023}}[[File:Scuola di jaipur, mehandi, xix secolo.jpg|thumb|right| A painting of Mehandi design practice at [[Salar Jung Museum]].]]
==Etymology==
The origin of "mehndi" is from the Sanskrit word "mendhika," which refers to the [[Henna|henna]] plant that releases a red dye.<ref name="archive.today">{{Cite web |date=2012-07-09 |title=A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English |url=http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.8:1:3320.platts |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709173442/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.8:1:3320.platts |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-09 |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=archive.ph}}</ref> According to ''A Dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi and English,'' mehndi also refers to "the marriage-feast on the occasion of the bride's hands and feet being stained with henna."<ref name="archive.today" />
==Origins==
[[File:Final Mehndi (Henna Tattoo).theora.ogv|thumb|Video of mehndi application]][[File:Mehndi.jpg|thumb|Mehndi decoration of palms and feet]]
[[File:Mehendi decoration on feet.jpg|thumb|Mehndi decoration of palms and feet of a bride]]
Earliest use of henna dye can be traced back to ancient [[Babylon]] and [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]].<ref name=":0" /> In India It was in prevalent use by the [[4th century]] CE, which is evidenced by the cave arts of [[Deccan|Deccan region]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=International|first=Aroha|date=2017-10-01|title=History, Origin & Cultural Significance of Henna|url=http://www.arohainternational.com/2017/10/01/history-origin-henna/|access-date=2021-05-27|website=Aroha International|language=en-US}}</ref>{{bsn|date=September 2023}}
==Process==
The paste is made from the powdered dry leaves of the henna plant, ''[[Lawsonia inermis]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gozubuyuk |first1=G. S. |last2=Aktas |first2=E. |last3=Yigit |first3=N. |date=2014-12-01 |title=An ancient plant Lawsonia inermis (henna): Determination of in vitro antifungal activity against dermatophytes species |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1156523314002340 |journal=Journal de Mycologie Médicale |language=en |volume=24 |issue=4 |pages=313–318 |doi=10.1016/j.mycmed.2014.07.002 |issn=1156-5233 |pmid=25442917}}</ref>
Mehndi paste is usually applied to the skin using a plastic cone, a paintbrush, or a stick. Fifteen to twenty minutes after application, the mud will dry and begin to crack. The painted area is then wrapped with tissue, plastic, or medical tape to lock in body heat, creating a more intense colour on the skin. The wrap, which is not a traditional method, is worn for two to six hours, or sometimes overnight, and then removed. {{Cn|date=May 2023}}
When first removed, the henna design is pale to dark orange in colour and gradually darkens through oxidation, over the course of 24 to 72 hours. The final color is reddish brown and can last anywhere from one to three weeks depending on the quality and type of henna paste applied, as well as where it was applied on the body (thicker skin stains darker and longer than thin skin).{{Cn|date=May 2023}}
Likely due to the desire for a "tattoo-black" appearance, some people add the synthetic [[dye]] [[p-Phenylenediamine|p-phenylenediamine]] (PPD) to henna to give it a black colour. PPD may cause moderate to severe allergic reactions when applied to skin.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mukkanna |first1=Krishna Sumanth |last2=Stone |first2=Natalie M |last3=Ingram |first3=John R |date=2017-01-18 |title=Para-phenylenediamine allergy: current perspectives on diagnosis and management |journal=Journal of Asthma and Allergy |volume=10 |pages=9–15 |doi=10.2147/JAA.S90265 |issn=1178-6965 |pmc=5261844 |pmid=28176912 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
==Usage==
Mehndi is a ceremonial art form common in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. It is typically applied during weddings for Sikh, Muslim and Hindu brides. In [[Rajasthan]], the grooms are given designs that are often as elaborate as those for brides. In [[Assam]], apart from marriage, it is broadly used by unmarried women during [[Bohag Bihu|Rongali Bihu]].{{Cn|date=May 2023}}
Among [[South Asian Muslims]], mehndi is a common tradition for brides as well as other girls on weddings. It is also done for [[Muslim holidays|Eid]] on [[Chaand Raat]]. There are professionals as well for this while other people do this by their own.
==Popular mehndi patterns==
===Arabic mehndi designs===
This pattern is drawn on the palm. Generally, it starts from one corner of the wrist and ends at finger tip on the opposite corner. Vine, lace, and flowers are the main elements of this pattern.{{Cn|date=May 2023}}
===Mandala mehndi designs===
[[Mandala]] is a geometric configuration of symbols used in various spiritual traditions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Shinto. Various configurations of Mandala are drawn on the center of palm in this mehndi pattern.{{Cn|date=May 2023}}
==See also==
* [[Alta (dye)|Alta]]
* [[Body painting]]
* [[Jagua tattoo]]
* [[Masonjoany]]
* [[Temporary tattoo]]
==References==
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[[Category:Body art]]
[[Category:Hindu wedding rituals]]
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[[Category:Culture of Iran]]
[[Category:Culture of South Asia]]
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