Henna Designs In India

Indian henna designs vary from culture to culture and each design indicates a special meaning to the members of that culture such as wisdom, good health, protection, fertility etc. It depends on the cultural background of the bride as to which design she chooses for herself. Indian henna designs are mostly intricate and detailed and they cover the entire hands and feet of the bride. Henna designs of the hands might differ from those of the feet. The various henna designs for the hands include flower arches, flower net, lotus, henna web etc. Henna designs for the feet include flowers, abstract shapes etc. There are separate henna designs for the fingers as well as the filler designs which give the entire design its intricacy.

The Indian henna ceremony is an integral part of an Indian wedding and contributes as a pre-wedding ritual. Different parts of the country celebrate the ritual according to their own customs and culture. The ceremony is mostly organized by the bride’s family and is synonymous with fun and amusement. The bride’s relatives and friend come to bless the bride and convey their best wishes. A professional mehndi designer or a bride’s relative applies mehndi on the bride’s hands and feet. The first motif of henna is applied by the bride’s sister-in-law or in some families it is considered to be auspicious , if applied by the bride’s mother. It is believed that darker and deeper the stains of the mehndi, the more love will the bride receive from her husband and in-laws. Tradition goes that longer the mehndi is retained by the bride, brighter will be her future.

The art of applying henna is a traditional Indian art which has been in practice since the 12th century. Though the art is said to have its origins in Arabia, Indian henna has developed its own unique style over all these centuries. Henna gained is popularity with the advent of the Muslims in India and soon became a part of the Indian folk culture. Married women in India began to paint their hands and feet with intricate designs in order to distinguish them from unmarried women as the latter were often kidnapped by the Muslim rulers. From that time onwards, mehndi is said to have flourished and accepted as a decorative art in India. Applying henna in India is believed to symbolize fertility. Mehndi is used in India for various occasions. Mehndi has become an indispensable ritual of an Indian marriage. It symbolizes the power of love between the bride and the groom.

Henna designs have different aspects to them and therefore one has to be careful while selecting the henna design for oneself. Applying mehndi on one’s hands and feet is considered to be auspicious and therefore will always remain an integral part of all Indian marriages and also the Indian culture.