April 9, 2007
Mehndi is one of the sixteen adornments bestowed on a bride during Solah Shringar.
Mehndi is one of the sixteen adornments bestowed on a bride during Solah Shringar. In this way, mehndi marks the rite of passage of marriage in a girl’s life and her initiation into womanhood. For more information on Solah Shringar and the sixteen adornments of a woman, read about our Solah Shringar party. The intricate mehndi designs, which are painted on both the hands and feet, may contain a secret language. Designs include geometric and figurative motifs such as flowers and leaf and vine patterns, and traditional hindu religious symbols. Mehndi symbolizes satisfaction and happiness in marriage. This belief is connected with its red color which is also the color of the bride’s dress. The process of applying the designs takes on a ritualistic aspect. The mehndi is applied to the bride’s hands and feet the night before the marriage ceremony by the bride’s female relatives who spend several hours applying the designs. The process may take anywhere from three to eight hours depending upon the complexity of the designs and whether or not both the hands and feet are decorated.
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