What are uses of Henna(Mehndi) colouration?

What are uses of Henna(Mehndi) colouration?

PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN

        1) It has been originally used by women only, later men also started using it. Haldi (staining with turmeric paste) and mehndi are Vedic customs, intended to be a symbolic representation of the outer and inner sun. Vedic customs are based on idea of awakening the inner light. In a traditional Hindu design, sun is pictured on the palm. Mehndi is used in India in routine day and also on special occasion. Mehndi is also used on religious festival. For example mehndi is applied during various fasts (Vratas) like Karwa Chauk, a fast observed by wife to ensure long life of her husband.

      
    

Even gods and goddess are adorned with mehndi designs. A large dot in the centre of the hand with four smaller dots at the side is an oft seen design on the palms of Ganesha and Lakshmi.

       

 So, we can safely say that designing with mehndi, for Hindus, has a religious relevance also. Hindu wedding ceremony has become synonymous with this beautiful reddish dye. It is reported that henna painting is century’s old practice in India, Africa and the Middle East where it is believed that henna plant brings love, good fortune happy results, good feelings and protect against evil. Traditionally mehndi is practiced during marriages, joyous occasions apart from normal days.

       It is convenient in use; henna leaves are grounded and water is added to make a paste. Then this paste is applied on skin of hand etc. It is totally painless practice and has no side effect on skin and suitable for making intricate pattern on various parts of body. When the paste is dried after several hours, leave behind rusty red print which fades naturally over 1 to 3 weeks. Ease of its application, painless practice, beautiful glaring red print, completely harmless, cooling effect, healing power and temporary nature; have made a popular dye and cosmetic tool. It can be considered as precursor of tattoo. But it is more beneficial than tattoo as no life time commitment is required; no artistic skill in application is required; it has least side effects; it totally painless in application; and it colour is close the ideal complexion of men and women. These advantages have made henna a popular practice in different region of the globe. Even now it is gaining popularity in the West and America. Henna is a marvellous way to dye skin.

       

 2)  Ancient Egyptian used henna on their nails and hair round about in 1200 BC. Apart from human application it was also used to dye manes and hooves of horses; to colour animal skin; to dye wool and silk and to dye men’s beard.

       3) When people came to know the cooling properties of henna, desert people of India started coating their skin with it. So it became a common practice for desert people to reduce their body temperature. Even the people of plains used to paste in the sole of feet in summer as a coolant.