Mehndi
Beautiful and intricate body art
Mehndi is a form of body art and temporary skin
decoration from the Indian subcontinent. It is usually drawn on hands or
legs, in which decorative designs are created on a person's body, using
a paste created from the powdered dry leaves of the henna plant
(Lawsonia inermis) as well as essential oils.
In the West, mehndi is often known as "henna". Henna has been used as a
dye for the skin since ancient times. Henna paste 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, particularly for brides, religious festivals and special
occasions. It is a popular form of body art among the women of South
Asia such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal and
similar practices are found in North Africa, East Africa and the Middle
East.