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Before the weddingMehendi Ceremony: Meaning, Rituals and Bridal Henna Tips
At the mehendi ceremony, intricate henna designs are applied to the bride's hands and feet, usually a day or two before the wedding, amid music and food.
What is the mehendi ceremony?
Mehendi (also spelt mehndi) is henna, a paste made from the dried, powdered leaves of the henna plant, which leaves a reddish-brown stain on the skin. The mehendi ceremony is the gathering at which a mehendi artist, or a skilled relative, draws designs on the bride's hands, arms, feet and lower legs. Women of both families, and increasingly men, often get smaller designs too.
The custom is widespread in North and West India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Middle East, and is part of many Hindu, Muslim and Sikh weddings. In Muslim weddings across South Asia it is often called the mehndi or mayun-mehndi night; Mappila Muslim families in Kerala hold a mylanchi ceremony.
Meaning and symbolism
Henna has long been used for adornment and is traditionally associated with joy and good fortune. Several beliefs surround it, and they are shared affectionately rather than as fact:
- It is traditionally believed that the darker the stain, the deeper the love between the couple — or, in another version, the more the mother-in-law will love the bride.
- Henna is also traditionally said to have a cooling effect, which some families link to calming pre-wedding nerves.
- Many brides are told not to do housework in their new home until the mehendi fades.
Who does what
- The bride sits for the longest — bridal designs can take several hours.
- The groom's name or initials are often hidden in the design, and he is challenged to find them later, sometimes on the wedding night.
- The groom's family may send the henna, sweets and clothes to the bride's home, a custom in some Punjabi and Rajasthani families.
- Relatives sing, dance and feed the bride while her hands dry.
- Grooms in some communities apply a small dot or a simple design; Rajasthani and Marwari grooms sometimes have fuller designs.
When it happens
The mehendi is usually held one or two days before the wedding, often the evening before the haldi or alongside the sangeet. Because a good stain develops over a day or two, it is rarely left to the wedding morning itself.
Regional variations
- Rajasthani mehendi is known for dense, fine patterns covering the arms; see our Rajasthani wedding guide.
- Punjabi mehendi functions are often loud, joyful afternoons with boliyan (short folk couplets) and giddha dancing.
- In Bengal and much of South India, alta (a red liquid) has traditionally been used on the feet instead of, or as well as, henna, though bridal mehendi has become popular there too.
Practical tips for families today
- Book the artist well ahead, especially in wedding season, and confirm the number of guests they will cover.
- Ask for natural henna and do a patch test. Avoid "black henna", which can contain chemicals that cause serious skin reactions.
- Plan the bride's day: eat beforehand, use the washroom, and arrange someone to feed her while the paste dries.
- Leave the paste on for several hours, then scrape it off rather than washing; avoid water for some hours afterwards.
- Seat the bride in good light near a fan, with cushions — she will be still for a long time.
- Choose a design that suits the clothes and jewellery, especially the chooda if the bride will wear one.
Fixing the date?
The muhurat calendar lists every auspicious wedding date month by month, with the hours each one holds.
Wedding muhurat calendar Match kundlis freeQuestions people ask
Why is the groom's name hidden in the mehendi?
It is a playful custom: the groom is asked to find his name or initials in the design. Some families make it a game on the wedding night.
How long before the wedding should mehendi be applied?
Usually one or two days before. Henna darkens over a day or two after the paste is removed, so the colour is at its best on the wedding day.
Is black henna safe for bridal mehendi?
So-called black henna often contains chemical dyes that can cause skin reactions. Natural henna, which stains reddish-brown, is the safer choice.
Do grooms apply mehendi?
Many do, from a small symbolic dot to fuller designs, particularly in Rajasthani and Marwari families. It is entirely a matter of choice.
What is the mylanchi ceremony?
It is the henna ceremony held in many Mappila Muslim weddings in Kerala, usually the evening before the nikah, with songs and family gatherings.
Wedding traditions
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