Significance of Mehndi in Indian Weddings

by Rahul Jindal Owner at The Wedding Cards Online

Mehndi or Heena is an important constituent of Indian Tradition. Take any festival or custom and you will find what a significant role mehndi plays in a woman’s life. Every festival is complete in its true sense when the women apply mehndi at important occasions. Not only married women but young girls to love to apply mehndi on important functions and flaunt it with their counterparts. Indian weddings specially cannot do without mehndi application. Even in the wedding cards mehndi ceremony is specially mentioned with the other functions.

Weddings in India are those typical weddings shown in Bollywood films where there is a proper ceremony dedicated to application of Mehndi. It is when Heena or Mehndi is applied on the hands and legs of the both bride and groom. Even the close relatives of bride’s and groom’s families also apply mehndi. This ceremony is often called “Mehndi ki raat” or “Mehndi Ceremony” in which all the ladies participate. As “haldi” symbolizes purification and cleanliness, “mehndi” symbolizes beauty. It adorns the bride and adds to her beauty on her special day. When mehndi is applied on her palms, name of her husband is very creatively hidden in the design which the husband has to search in a rasm later. In some traditional weddings, Mehndi is a very elaborate function accompanied by dance performance and food.

It is often said that the darker comes out the color of mehndi, greater shall be the love showered upon the bride by her husband and in-laws. The longer the bride retains the mehndi, it is considered even more auspicious. These days such unique designs are available from across the world with a lot of innovation. Though there are ample designs available with the experts namely, Traditional Rajasthani style, Arabic designs, Crystal Mehndi and numerous others. Mehndi designs mainly comprise of floral shapes and auspicious symbols with a room for personal creativity.

Apart from the above, heena is known for its medicinal properties and is also applied as a hair dye by men and women. It gives natural color and luster to the hair. It is also used to apply tattoos in some parts of the world. There is an increasing trend in the craze for tattoos on arms, neck, naval and wrists. With the increase in modernization, mehndi application has just gained greater popularity. It is one thing that is both traditional and is in vogue. Mehndi has always been and is continuing to be a significant component of Indian Tradition.