Rajasthani Mehndi

About Rajasthan: Rajasthan is Historical and traditional province; No matter either we are talking about Pakistan or India. Both have many similarities.

Rajasthani Mehndi Art:

In Rajasthan, Mehndi is a very ancient folk art, which signifies life and prosperity at the time of various special occasions. It is one of the most precious jewels for brides, to carry good luck for their married life. According to Indian customs and traditions, the grooms are also adorned with beautiful designs which are as elaborate as those of brides.

Whereas, the practice of decorating body with the hues of Henna, dates back to ancient era. It is believed that henna was first discovered in Egypt for coloring fingertips, nails, palms, hands and the soles of the feet. In Middle East, the leaves of the henna plant have been used for centuries for the beautification of hands and feet. It has been done particularly, at the time of various occasions and events.
How to Apply Mehndi:

In the ancient Era Mehndi or Henna past is applied with the help of match sticks, but now match sticks are replaced by Mehndi cones and paint brushes. It is just like a fantasy in this modern age.

The use of Rajasthan’s Mehndi decoration ruled the fashion market of the world, from late 1990s the art of mehndi achieved great heights and was more popularly known as “Henna Tattoos”. Mehndi or Henna, applied usually on the hands and feet of female. Out of various types of Mehndi available, the mehndi of Rajasthan is most popular.

Rajasthani mehndi is also different due its unique smell and color. The Rajasthani Mehndi is considered to be one of the best because it leaves the darkest color of red on hands and feet.
Mehndi is prepared by grinding the dry henna leaves into a very fine powder and then making a paste with water. This paste is then applied on the hands and feet of females in the form of beautiful designs, with the help of matchsticks or cones. After the mehndi gets dry, it is removed revealing the beautiful designs on the skin in red color.

Significance of Rajasthani Mehndi:

For the above described reasons, the mehndi of Rajasthan is very much in demand for the Bridal mehndi. One of the most popular designs in Rajasthan is the one called chowk. Literally meaning a courtyard, it is put up in various forms, each form being suitable for a different occasion. One design is applied at the time of the Gangaur fair, another at the time of Teej, yet another for Holi and so on. Other popular designs are chopper (game of dice, symbolic of marital love), lahriya (waves), pankhi or beejani (meaning fan), etc.

Rajasthani Mehndi Designs and Patterns:

There are different forms of designs and patterns used at the time of various festive occasions. Thus, there is a specific design of chowk for the Gangaur – dance festival, another for the Teej, and yet another for Holi and other festivals. Amongst other favorites is chopper design, representation of a game, played by throwing dice and is symbolic of conjugal love. In Rajasthan, which is a home to myriad occasions and colourful event, Mehndi has a great significance and respect quite linked to spacious occasions like Karva Chauth, Raksha Bandhan, Weddings, Teej and all other related occasions.

Tags: Folk Art, Henna Tattoos, mehndi designs, Rajasthani Bridal Mehndi Designs, Rajasthani Mehndi Designs, Why it is Significance