Indian Henna Design

Indian Henna Design

Indian Henna Design

The henna art is used all over the world in many different ways and for many different reasons. Some people choose to decorate themselves and their bodies with the henna art, while other cultures use henna for religious ceremonies or grieving time. Since henna art has evolved over thousands of years, many people place henna in the same category as they do tattoos: simple designs for the body, except that they are easily removable after one or two weeks. However, some cultures have a very different idea about what henna should be. For example, Indian henna designs are much different from other parts of the world in that Indian henna designs use thin lines to make the art that the place on their hands, feet, and other body parts.

Most of the Indian henna designs, however, have come from the age-old art that was originally started in the Middle East and around the India area. In fact, Queen Mumtaz was the first queen of India to sport the henna artistic designs. No doubt that she wore Indian henna designs strictly for decoration purposes. In today's Indian henna design choices and popularity, the trend is still to continue to use intricate designs that are painted on the body from the henna powder that is derived from the henna plant. However, one difference in India henna designs comes from the specific henna designs themselves. Indian henna designs throughout the years have placed an emphasis on long, flowery designs. Because of these intricate and difficult Indian henna designs, the brushstroke must also be changed. So the Indian henna designs that are used mainly have to be the result of a thin line which comes from a thin henna brush. Many of the Indian henna designs that revolve around the long and flowery patterns are painted all over the hands and the feet. These are the main body part areas where the Indian culture chooses to place their Indian henna designs. Some of them wrap around the entire hands and feet while there are other Indian henna designs that are specifically for the palms of the hand or only the tops of the feet.

Comparing Western culture's henna designs to Indian henna designs makes one realize an appreciation for the tradition that has evolved over time in the Indian henna design culture. For example, some of the henna designs in the United States could be referred to as dull and boring in comparison to the Indian henna designs. Even though the preference largely lies with the one who is getting the henna design painted on their body, Indian henna designs have always been and will probably always be more difficult and intricate than those in other parts of the world. Perhaps this is because the Indian henna designs were some of the first of the henna art to come about in the world.

Whatever the case, though, Indian henna designs will always be respected simply because they were one of the first countries in the world thousands of years ago to make the henna art popular. For this reason and many other reasons the Indian henna art will be more flowery, long, intricate, and even difficult for other parts of the henna design world to duplicate!

The earliest artifacts showing henna in India, that are have found are from about 400 AD, in the Ajanta caves. Therefore, though henna certainly was used from an early period in India, it was not widespread. Also, the henna appearing in Ajanta appears equally on men, women and servants, and was done as dip henna, without patterning. From 600 AD to 1300 AD, bright red dip henna appears frequently on Boddhisattvas and Buddhist clerics depicted in sculpture and wall paintings in Northern India, Nepal, Tibet, Ceylon and Burma.

After 1500 AD, henna is seen frequently on women in miniature paintings in India, though patterning is very rare until after 1700 AD. In Hindu India during this period, henna certainly is part of the cosmetic routine used by wives and concubines to look their best. By 1700, the bridal celebration of the Night of the Henna was a well established part of Muslim India's traditions, and married Muslim women in India frequently used henna to ornament themselves.

During the 1800s patterned henna is seen frequently in Indian artifacts, though the henna is always represented as red and never black. Henna patterning in India has become very complex and beautiful in the 20th century, and is used as part of the celebration of almost all holidays.

Henna, an ancient art, is used to create intricate, ephemeral that are applied to the skin with a thick paste made from the ground leaves of the henna plant. The usage of henna as a for decorating body part prevails throughout India, for thousands of years. More than just attractive designs, the use of mehndi is intimately connected to the tradition and culture of India.

The rich hues from henna plant have graced the hands, feet and hair of the men and the women with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. No Indian wedding is ever complete without the henna. Whichever part of the country the bride may be from, her hands are adorned with the lovely red hue of the henna. But mehndi is not exclusive to weddings, in fact, it is used on numerous occasions, like Holi, Diwali, Rakshabandhan, Teej and Nagpanchami.

The indian designs originate from the practices followed on these occasions and represent specific objects, dresses, floral designs, leaves, flowers and birds associated with the festival. The neatness and variety of henna hand designs make it more beautiful. The mehndi designs from India vary tremendously.

Full palm henna, fingertips and endless combinations of lacy rhythmical design work prevail, along with the integration of pictures depicting paislies, bride and groom, hearts and sacred urns. Some other examples of popular traditional indian images used in henna mehndi designs are the peacock, the lotus flower and an elephant with a raised trunk, which is a symbol of good luck.

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