A wedding isn’t just one “big day” in Indian cultures; it’s a series of festivities that occur before and after the couple exchanges vows. The Mehndi party is one of the most colourful and significant of the celebrations. All you need to know about the Mehndi Ceremony is right here.
What exactly is a Mehndi party?
Mehndi is a centuries-old genre of body art that originated in India and spread across South Asia and the Middle East. In Hindu and Sikh tradition, a Mehndi party is a pre-wedding event in which the bride gets the red-orange mehndi “stain” added to her wrists, back of hands, and feet. The case, which is usually held the day before the wedding, has a lounge feel, with colourful pillows.
Myths and Traditions of Mehendi Ceremony
One of the ceremonies used to beautify the bride is mehndi. An often asked question is, “Can the henna turn out dark? I’d like my mother-in-law to like me “. Although many people are aware of the connection between henna colour and mother-in-law love, this legend goes back to when women were encouraged to be submissive and not express their thoughts.
A newlywed woman’s henna colour was an example of how her mother-in-law saw her. Her mother-in-law could either welcome her as a newlywed and give her time to adapt to her new home job, or she could be put to work right away.
If her henna was still on, it meant that her mother-in-law loved and respected her as a newlywed bride; if her henna had faded, it meant that her mother-in-law had immediately put her to work. Another popular question from brides is, “Why is the groom’s name written in the bride’s henna?” When weddings were arranged, the bride and groom did not have the chance to see each other.
Things we have observed
Typically, the bride and groom met for the first time on their wedding night. When the groom asked to find his name in the bride’s hand, the groom’s name was written in her henna as an icebreaker to start a conversation. Nowadays, things are different since the bride and groom are more likely to meet each other.
In certain countries, the bride’s henna is given by the groom’s family, or they have a ceremony in which they add henna to the bride-to-be and dress her up in dresses and jewellery.
In Hindi, a phrase goes, “Humare rang mein rang jaana,” which means “We want you to be coloured in our colours.” Applying henna to the bride signifies that they welcome the bride-to-be into their families and embrace her as their own.
