For the non-believers and the other cultures henna could be just a green colored powder. But this exotic smelling substance holds an eminent position in Indian weddings. It is an ancient Indian art of body designing as it leaves behind dark red color mark on the skin.
In the Indian weddings, bride’s hands are decorated with henna as a symbol of her love for her soul mate. Mostly cultural and traditional designs are drawn on her hands using a cone or sometimes a stick. The designs of peacocks, coconuts, musical instruments etc are amongst the most popular ones in this.
Mehndi is the ancient Indian art of applying henna over hands and other body parts. No Indian wedding can be there where bride doesn’t have Mehndi on her hands. This tradition of applying Mehndi is practiced in every part of the country. Bride is drenched in the color of love –red with henna. The design of the Mehndi can vary depending upon the occasion and the theme. These designs are quite explicit. Now a days bride prefer going for Arabic designs as they go very well with the contemporary as well as the traditional dresses. Tattoo designs like that on arms, navel or neck are also becoming the rages of the hour.
Bridal Mehndi should b e applied two to three days prior to marriage day. This helps henna color to deepen and mature. The Mehndi gets tinted as you leave it for 3-4 hours after applying it on your hands. Some may prefer to apply it at night and leave it overnight. There are many other rituals associated with this henna ceremony. Most of the times the groom’s initials are artistically designed in the Mehndi pattern and groom have to search for his initials in the bride’s Mehndi design.