Europe
77-444: Mayian , also known as Vatna Maiyun , Haldi , or Ubtan , is the term used for the preparation ceremony one day before Punjabi weddings of India and Pakistan . This ceremony is usually done in morning but sometimes done in late afternoon or early evening and after this ceremony bride/ groom take a shower and get ready for wedding. The Ceremony usually takes place at the couple's parental homes. It consists of many rites, including
154-577: A patri (a special red board with embroidery) below a red cloth held by four women. This is done to cleanse and balance the body for married life. In the Jaggo ceremony, the family dances and sings on the road in front and around the beautifully decorated wedding home. Jaggo is held in the last hours of the night. Copper vessels called "gaffers" are decorated with divas (clay lamps), filled with mustard oil , and lit. The bride/bridegroom's maternal aunt ( mammi ) carries it on her head, and another lady carries
231-469: A basic stick or twig. In Morocco, a syringe is common. A plastic cone similar to those used to pipe icing onto cakes is used in India. A light stain may be achieved within minutes, but the longer the paste is left on the skin, the darker and longer lasting the stain will be, so it needs to be left on as long as possible. To prevent it from drying or falling off the skin, the paste is often sealed down by dabbing
308-678: A few days, then gradually wear off by way of exfoliation , typically within one to three weeks. Henna has been used in ancient Egypt, ancient Near East and then the Indian subcontinent to dye skin, hair and fingernails, as well as fabrics including silk , wool , and leather . Historically, henna was used in West Asia including the Arabian Peninsula and in Carthage , other parts of North Africa , West Africa , Central Africa ,
385-495: A long stick with bells, shaking it. The women will then go into other friends' and families' homes; after being welcomed by sweets and drinks, they dance there and move on. It is a loud ceremony, filled with joy, dancing, fireworks, and food. It is also practised in Pakistan. Sarvala : A young nephew or cousin dons the same attire as the groom. He is called the sarvala (caretaker of the groom) and accompanies him. Sehra : Like
462-444: A long stick with bells, which she shakes. The ladies then go into other friends' and families' homes to be welcomed with sweets and drinks. They dance there and move on. It is a solemn ceremony filled with joy, dancing, fireworks, and food. The Ladies Sangeet (Ladies' Night of Singing) and mehndi might follow the mayian and dinner. Punjabi wedding traditions North America Oceania Punjabi wedding traditions are
539-484: A marriage is known as the Mehndi Celebration or Mehndi Night or Laylat al Henna, and is mainly held for the bride and groom. In Algeria , brides receive gifts of jewellery and have henna painted on their hands prior to their weddings. The bride and the groom seal their vows in front of their guests by getting applied a circle-shaped henna on the palm of their hands. Usually, the grandmothers or mothers of
616-421: A married woman. Her relatives throw coins in the wake of this procession. The mother-in-law has a glass of water in her hand, which she circles 3 times around her bahu and then offers it to her to drink, as a symbol of her acceptance and blessing as her newest daughter. Reception at the boy's house : The newlyweds are welcomed in a ceremony called the pani bharna . Then the bride must, with her right foot, kick
693-399: A powder made by drying, milling and sifting the leaves. The dry powder is mixed with one of a number of liquids, including water, lemon juice, strong tea, and other ingredients, depending on the tradition. Many artists use sugar or molasses in the paste to improve consistency to keep it stuck to the skin better. The henna mix must rest between one and 48 hours before use in order to release
770-488: A pre-manufactured paste takes to arrive in the hands of consumers is typically longer than the seven-day dye release window of henna, therefore one can reasonably expect that any pre-made mass-produced cone that is not shipped frozen is a potentially harmful adulterated chemical variety. · Henna only stains the skin one color, a variation of reddish brown, at full maturity three days after application. Powdered fresh henna, unlike pre-mixed paste, can be easily shipped all over
847-411: A shelf for over one week without losing their ability to stain the skin. The leaf of the henna plant contains a finite amount of lawsone. As a result, once the powder has been mixed into a paste, this leaching of dye molecule into the mixture will only occur for an average of two to six days. If a paste will not be used within the first few days after mixing, it can be frozen for up to four months to halt
SECTION 10
#1732771845929924-403: A strong reflection of Punjabi culture with ritual, song, dance, food, and dress that have evolved over centuries. Roka is one of the most significant ceremonies that take place before a Punjabi wedding. The roka ceremony marks the union of both the bride and groom's family and friends. Gifts from both families are acceptable at Rokka. Engagement is a significant part of a Punjabi wedding. First,
1001-479: A sugar/lemon mix over the dried paste or adding some form of sugar to the paste. After some time the dry paste is simply brushed or scraped away. The paste should be kept on the skin for a minimum of four to six hours, but longer times and even wearing the paste overnight is a common practice. Removal should not be done with water, as water interferes with the oxidation process of stain development. Cooking oil may be used to loosen dry paste. Henna stains are orange when
1078-506: A wedding festival can last up to 5 days, with 2 days involving henna art. One of these days is referred to as azmomeg (meaning unknown), and is the Thursday before the wedding where guests are invited to apply henna to the bride. The other henna ceremony occurs after the wedding ceremony, called the Day of Henna. On this day, typically an older woman applies henna to the bride after she dips in
1155-460: Is a ceremony that is supposed to ward off the evil eye. The groom's bhabi lines his eyes with surma (kohl). Ghodi Chadna is the final ceremony at the groom's place. The groom's sisters and cousins feed and adorn his mare. To ward off the evil eye, people use cash and perform the Varna ritual. The cash is then distributed among the poor. After this the boy climbs the horse and leaves his home for
1232-558: Is a place for milling henna mixed with other herbs. In Palestine (region) , and territories of the Palestinian National Authority , some Middle Eastern and North African Jewish communities and families, also Druze, Christian and Muslim ones, host henna parties the night or week before a wedding, according to familial customs. The use of henna in this region can be traced as far back to the Song of Songs in which
1309-519: Is actually the result of other compounds in the product. These chemicals are often undisclosed on packaging, and have a wide range of colors including what appears to be a natural looking color stain produced by dyes such as sodium picramate . These products often do not contain any henna. There are many adulterated henna pastes such as these, and others, for sale today that are erroneously marketed as "natural", "pure", or "organic", all containing potentially dangerous undisclosed additives. The length of time
1386-459: Is chosen for the performance of wedding ceremony. Kanyadaan and Phere : The bride's father puts a ring on the boy's finger and then he gives his daughter to the boy. This ritual is known as the Kanyadaan. It is after the kanyadaan that the pheras begin. The pheras take place in front of the sacred fire, agni . After this the groom applies Sindoor (vermilion) to the girl's hair partition and
1463-655: Is currently growing in complexity and elaboration, with new innovations in glitter, gilding, and fine-line work. Recent technological innovations in grinding, sifting, temperature control, and packaging henna, as well as government encouragement for henna cultivation, have improved dye content and artistic potential for henna. Though traditional henna artists were from the Nai caste in India, and barbering castes in other countries (lower social classes), talented contemporary henna artists can command high fees for their work. Women in countries where women are discouraged from working outside
1540-431: Is done to make the bride look more beautiful on the most special day of her life. This ritual demands that the bride stay at home in her old clothes for a couple of days before her wedding. Ubtan is supposed to bring a glow to the bride's and groom's body, especially on their faces. This tradition is also known as Shaint in some cultures. After this ritual, the bride and groom are constrained from meeting each other until
1617-440: Is indicating a job title for a person whose work is associated with the milling or grinding henna leaves and sell it in a powder form. This type of business is an old job still alive in some parts of Iran , especially in the world recognized archeologically ancient " Yazd " province. The most famous one is a family owned business by "Mazar Atabaki" families resided in the land hundreds of years ago. Māzāri ( Persian : مازاری )
SECTION 20
#17327718459291694-516: Is known as the Rasm-e-Heena , which is often one of the most important pre-wedding ceremonies celebrated by both the bride and groom's families. The night of mehndi , as the gathering at which the application of the henna is performed, usually falls on the second day of the festivities and one day before the wedding itself. The process commonly involves only the bride and groom but also can include close friends or other family members. The hands of
1771-477: Is traditionally recognized as a prewedding custom only in many parts of North India. Historically, the Indian wedding tradition of a sangeet ceremony was a female-only event that was organized by the ladies of the bride and groom's families to celebrate the bride a few days before the main wedding ceremony. Modern Sangeet ceremonies have evolved to being celebrated in either ones homes or in larger venues to accommodate
1848-488: The Batna , Choora , Jaggo , fireworks and sometimes the ladies Sangeet and mehndi . In South Indian weddings a similar ceremony takes place called the "Pithi" ceremony. One day before the wedding, the ceremony of mayian is performed at the couple's respective homes. The prospective bride or groom is seated on a wooden plank called a patri , and a red cloth is held above by four female relatives, while married women of
1925-464: The Bodhu Boron ceremony. In an attempt to ritually clean a bride before her wedding day, Bulgarian Romani decorate the bride with a blot of henna. This blot symbolizes the drop of blood on the couples' sheets after consummating the marriage and breaking the female's hymen. The tradition also holds that the longer the henna lasts, the longer the husband will love his new bride. In Egypt ,
2002-581: The Guru Granth Sahib four times, called laavaan . This signifies they not only vow to see each other as one soul in two bodies, the ideal in Sikh marriage, but also as the Guru as the center of their marriage. Sikhs do not do pujas during any part of the marriage ceremony. Joota chupai literally means 'hiding the shoes'. The bride's sisters indulge in stealing of shoes. It is a fun tradition, in which
2079-519: The Horn of Africa and the Indian subcontinent . The name henna is used in other skin and hair dyes, such as black henna and neutral henna , neither of which is derived from the henna plant. The word henna comes from the Arabic حِنَّاء ( ALA-LC : ḥinnāʾ ; pronounced [ħɪnˈnæːʔ] ). The origins of the initial human uses of henna are uncertain; however, there are records that
2156-566: The Impressionists , further popularized the association of henna-dyed hair and young bohemian women. Opera singer Adelina Patti is sometimes credited with popularizing the use of henna in Europe in the late nineteenth century. Parisian courtesan Cora Pearl was often referred to as La Lune Rousse (the red-haired moon) for dyeing her hair red. In her memoirs, she relates an incident when she dyed her pet dog's fur to match her own hair. By
2233-490: The Mangalsutra Rasam takes place where the groom ties a beaded necklace i.e. a mangalsutra to the girl's neck. When all these rituals are over, the couple gets up to touch the feet of all the elder members in the family and seek their blessings for a happily married life. In a Hindu Punjabi Wedding, Agni (sacred fire) is usually encircled seven times. In a Sikh wedding , the bride and groom will walk in tow around
2310-613: The mikveh to ward off evil spirits who may be jealous of the newlyweds. The groom is also painted with henna after the wedding. During the groom's henna painting, he commonly wears black clothing, this tradition emerged from the Pact of Umar as the Jews were not permitted to dress similar to colorful Muslim dress in Morocco. In Pakistan, henna is often used in weddings , Eid ul fitr , Eidul Adha , milad and other events. The henna ceremony
2387-457: The sarson ka tel (mustard oil) that is put on the sides of the entrance door before she enters the house. Then, along with her husband, she must offer puja in their room. Then they must touch the feet of the elders in a ceremony called matha tekna . The rest of the evening is spent playing traditional games. Phera Dalna : The newly weds visit the bride's parents on the day after the wedding. The bride's brother usually fetches them. Songs of
Mayian - Misplaced Pages Continue
2464-620: The 1950s, Lucille Ball popularized "henna rinse" as her character, Lucy Ricardo, called it on the television show I Love Lucy . It gained popularity among young people in the 1960s through growing interest in Eastern cultures. Commercially packaged henna, intended for use as a cosmetic hair dye, originated in ancient Egypt and the ancient Near East and is now popular in many countries in South Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America. The color that results from dyeing with henna depends on
2541-629: The Armenian communities of Sis , both the groom and the bride had henna nights, where the groom would get his hair cut and his friends bid for the honor of drawing the cross with henna on the hands of the groom and godfather. The tradition of hinadreq , painting the palms of a bride-to-be, is still practiced in parts of Armenia today as a sign of fertility and happiness in married life. In Bangladesh, women use mehndi on hands on occasions like weddings and engagements as well as during Eid al-Fitr , Eid al-Adha and other events. In wedding ceremonies,
2618-574: The Jewish bridal henna process took four or five days to complete, with multiple applications and resist work. Specific henna designs may also vary by region. For example, geometric shapes such as triangles and diamonds characteristic of traditional Moroccan beading is represented in Moroccan henna designs. The fashion of " Bridal Mehndi " in North Indian, Bangladesh, Northern Libya and in Pakistan
2695-522: The Mehndi ceremony has traditionally been separated into two events: one organized by the bride's family and one by the groom's family. These two events are solely dedicated for adorning the bride and groom in Mehndi and is known as a 'Mehndi Shondha' meaning the Evening of Mehndi . Some brides tend to go for Alta . Sometimes Hindu women also apply Mehendi instead (or along with) Alta on their feet during
2772-489: The author wrote, "My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of Engedi." Sephardic Jews and Mizrahi Jews , such as Moroccan Jews and Yemenite Jews who have immigrated to Israel, continue these familial customs. In Malaysia , henna ( Malay : inai ) is used to adorn the bride and groom's hands before the wedding at a berinai ceremony. In Morocco , henna is applied symbolically when individuals go through life cycle events. Moroccans refer to
2849-514: The bride gathers with her friends the night before her wedding day to celebrate the henna night. In India, Hindu women have motifs and tattoos on hands and feet on occasions like weddings and engagements. In Kerala, women and girls, especially brides, have their hands decorated with Mailanchi. In North Indian wedding ceremonies, there is one evening solely dedicated for adorning the bride and groom in Mehndi , also known as 'Mehndi ki raat. In Iran ,
2926-461: The bride's home, the Vatna and Ghara Gharoli are followed by the dressing up of the groom in his wedding attire. After the groom has dressed up in his wedding clothes, a puja is performed. Thereafter, the groom's sister ties the sehra on the groom's head. After the completion of Sehrabandi ceremony, all those who witness the function give gifts and cash to the boy as a token of good luck. Varna
3003-433: The bride-to-be's residence, involving a set of ivory and red bangles. Her maternal uncle makes a gift of clothes, jewellery and some cash called nankey-shak . He puts the bangles on his niece while the women sing traditional songs depicting the role of maternal uncles. Before the wedding ceremony, the bride-to-be takes a ritual bath and dresses in the clothes in which she will be wed, provided by her maternal uncles. Similarly,
3080-455: The bridegroom's side Sitthniyan (taunts) Others Henna Henna is a reddish dye prepared from the dried and powdered leaves of the henna tree . It has been used since at least the ancient Egyptian period as a hair and body dye, notably in the temporary body art of mehndi (or "henna tattoo") resulting from the staining of the skin using dyes from the henna plant. After henna stains reach their peak colour, they hold for
3157-493: The bridegroom-to-be also receives a set of clothes called sherwani from his maternal uncles which he, too, wears at the wedding ceremony. It signifies the importance of the role of the mother's natal family at the wedding rituals, and reinforces the alliance established at the mother's own wedding. In the Batna/ Vatna rite, the couple's families rub yellow turmeric paste upon their legs, face, and arms while sitting on
Mayian - Misplaced Pages Continue
3234-482: The celebration. Bridal henna nights remain an important custom in many of these areas, particularly among traditional families. Henna was regarded as having Barakah ("blessings"), and was applied for luck as well as joy and beauty. Brides typically had the most henna, and the most complex patterns, to support their greatest joy and wishes for luck. Some bridal traditions were very complex, such as those in Yemen, where
3311-614: The customs differ based on region. The henna night, called hina gisher or khennagedje in Armenian , has always been deemed an essential part of Armenian marriage traditions. In Kesaria , henna parties were organized by the bride’s female friends and family on the Friday before her wedding. Traditional Armenian henna was usually applied on the fingertips, however young women also received designs on their hands. In Nirzeh , elderly women applied henna to young girls and boys. Furthermore, in
3388-411: The dye release, for thawing and use at a later time. Commercially packaged pastes that remain able to stain the skin longer than seven days without refrigeration or freezing contain other chemicals besides henna that may be dangerous to the skin. After the initial seven-day release of lawsone dye, the henna leaf is spent, therefore any dye created by these commercial cones on the skin after this time period
3465-461: The dye, or dyes which may be allergens. Apart from its use as a hair dye, henna has recently been used as a temporal substitute to eyebrow pencil or even as eyebrow embroidery. The different words for henna in ancient languages imply that it had more than one point of discovery and origin, as well as different pathways of daily and ceremonial use. Henna has been used to adorn young women's bodies as part of social and holiday celebrations since
3542-486: The eruption of Thera in 1680 BCE) show women with markings consistent with henna on their nails, palms and soles, in a tableau consistent with the henna bridal description from Ugarit. Many statuettes of young women dating between 1500 and 500 BCE along the Mediterranean coastline have raised hands with markings consistent with henna. This early connection between young, fertile women and henna seems to be
3619-432: The girl is draped with a phulkari (very decorative dupatta), which is usually very ornate. In some families this chunni is a family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation. She is also presented with jewellery, which her mother and sister-in-law help her wear. A tiny dot of henna paste (mehndi) is applied to her palm for good luck, and the function is sealed with the exchange of rings. The bride's father applies
3696-488: The girl's uncle, aunt, friends and cousins tie kaliras (silver, gold or gold plated traditional ornaments) to a bangle worn by the girl. Mayian : This is the preparation ceremony one day before a Punjabi wedding. This ceremony is an evening festival, at the couple's parental homes. It consists of many rites, the Batna , Choora , Jaggo fireworks and sometimes the Ladies Sangeet and Mehndi . The mayian happens
3773-571: The girls charge a fee for agreeing to return the shoes. They demand Kalecharis of gold for the bride's sisters and of silver for her cousins. Vidaai/Doli : Vidaai marks the departure of the bride from her parental house. As a custom, the bride throws phulian or puffed rice over her head. The ritual conveys her good wishes for her parents. A traditionally sad ritual, here the bride says goodbye to her parents, siblings and rest of her family. Her brothers/male cousins then lead her to her husband, who waits to take her to his family home to begin her new life as
3850-501: The groom and bride apply this henna, and a small decorative pillow with a satin ribbon is attached on their hands for a few hours. In Afghanistan , henna is also known as "kheena". Afghan tradition holds that henna brings good luck and happiness. It is used by both men and women on many occasions such as wedding nights, Nawroz , Eidul fitr , Eidul Adha , Shabe-e Barat , and circumcision celebrations . Henna traditions were widespread in both eastern and western Armenia , however,
3927-495: The groom's close relatives in descending order of age. Cash and clothes are gifted. Jaimala/Varmala : After Milni, the bride and groom come in the center of the circle where the family is standing, and place a heavily made garland made of flowers- varmala on each other to state, they accept each other and will love and live together with one another. Friends and relatives of the bride and groom indulge in teasing and fun, to celebrate this happy occasion. An auspicious time or muhurat
SECTION 50
#17327718459294004-484: The groom’s hands and feet as part of the wedding ritual. Henna is both offered and received as part of religious rituals during the urs and mela (fairs) honoring Sufi saints. On the 7th day of Muharram, the tradition of carrying Mehndi to pay respect to Hazrat Imam Qasim a.s is observed each year. In Somalia , henna has been used for centuries, it is cultivated from the leaves of the Ellan tree, which grows wild in
4081-539: The home can find socially acceptable, lucrative work doing henna. Morocco , Mauritania , Yemen , Libya , Somalia , Kenya , Sudan , the United Arab Emirates , India and many other countries have thriving women's henna businesses. These businesses are often open all night for Eid , Diwali and Karva Chauth . Many women may work together during a large wedding, wherein hundreds of guests have henna applied to their body parts. This particular event at
4158-403: The household and biradari , led by the mother, rub a paste of turmeric, flour and mustard oil on his or her face, arms and legs. During the ritual women sing traditional songs and those of the biradari receive the ritual gift of gogley (Punjabi sweets specially cooked for weddings) at the end of the ceremony. On the morning before the wedding, a ritual of choora or chura is performed at
4235-569: The late Bronze Age in the Eastern Mediterranean . The earliest text mentioning henna in the context of marriage and fertility celebrations comes from the Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath , which has references to women marking themselves with henna in preparation to meet their husbands, and Anath adorning herself with henna to celebrate a victory over the enemies of Baal. Wall paintings excavated at Akrotiri (dating prior to
4312-426: The lawsone from the leaf matter. The timing depends on the crop of henna being used. Essential oils with high levels of monoterpene alcohols, such as tea tree , cajuput , or lavender , will improve skin stain characteristics. Other essential oils, such as eucalyptus and clove, are not used because they are too irritating to the skin. The paste can be applied with many traditional and innovative tools, starting with
4389-552: The most common use of henna is among the long wedding rituals practiced in Iran. The henna ritual, which is called ḥanā-bandān, is held for both the bride and the bridegroom during the wedding week The ceremony is held prior to the wedding and is a traditional farewell ritual for newlyweds before they officially start their life together in a new house. The ceremonies take place in the presence of family members, friends, relatives, neighbors, and guests. In Iran, Māzār ( Persian : مازار )
4466-464: The mountainous regions of Somalia. It is used for practical purposes such as dyeing hair and also more extravagantly by coloring the fingers and toes of married women and creating intricate designs. It is also applied to the hands and feet of young Somali women in preparation for their weddings and all the Islamic celebrations. Sometimes also done by young school girls for several occasions Henna
4543-433: The night before the wedding and is celebrated according to which part of Punjab the participants are from. Vatna/Haldi : Four lamps or diyas are lit and the bride sits facing them. Oil is constantly poured into the lamps, so that the glow from the diyas is reflected on her face. Vatna involves applying a paste made from turmeric powder and mustard oil all over the bride's body by her female friends and relatives. This
4620-785: The origin of the Night of the Henna, which is now celebrated in all the middle east. The Night of the Henna was celebrated by most groups in the areas where henna grew naturally: Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus among others, all celebrated marriages and weddings by adorning the bride, and often the groom, with henna. Across the henna-growing region, Purim , Eid , Diwali , Karva Chauth , Passover , Mawlid , and most saints' days were celebrated with some henna. Favourite horses, donkeys, and salukis had their hooves, paws, and tails hennaed. Battle victories, births, circumcision, birthdays, Zār , as well as weddings, usually included some henna as part of
4697-465: The original color of the hair, as well as the quality of the henna, and can range from orange to auburn to burgundy. Henna can be mixed with other natural hair dyes, including Cassia obovata for lighter shades of red or even blond and indigo to achieve brown and black shades. Some products sold as "henna" include these other natural dyes . Others may include metal salts that can interact with other chemical treatments, or oils and waxes that may inhibit
SECTION 60
#17327718459294774-452: The outfit they plan to wear to the wedding. The Mehendi ceremony takes place in the atmosphere of a party. The bride and other ladies get mehendi ( henna designs) done, on their hands and feet (most ladies get it done only on their hands but the bride gets it done on both hands and feet). For the bride the mehendi is sent by the future Mother in Law, which is beautifully decorated. Chooda : On
4851-430: The paste as henna and the designs as naqsh, which means painting or inscription. In Morocco, there are two types of henna artists: non-specialists, who traditionally partake in wedding rituals, and specialists, who partake in tourism and decorative henna. Nqaasha, the low-end Henna specialists, are known for attracting tourists, which they refer to as gazelles or international tourists, in artisan slang. For Moroccans ,
4928-399: The paste is first removed, but darken over the following three days to a deep reddish brown due to oxidation. Soles and palms have the thickest layer of skin and so take up the most lawsone, and take it to the greatest depth, so that hands and feet will have the darkest and most long-lasting stains. Some also believe that steaming or warming the henna pattern will darken the stain, either during
5005-766: The plant was marketed in Babylonia , and was used in Ancient Egypt on some mummies to dye their hair, skin, nails, or funeral wrappings. It arrived in North Africa during the Punic civilization through Phoenician Diasporas where it was used as a beautification tool. Pliny the Elder wrote about its use in the Roman Empire as a medicine, a perfume, and a dye. Whole, unbroken henna leaves will not stain
5082-441: The proposed number of guests. The last major function before the wedding is decoration with temporary henna ( mehndi ) tattoos. This is often blended with the sangeet ceremony. Mehndi artists are called to the houses of the boy and girl and apply mehendi to the palms of the female family members, groom and the hands and feet of the bride. A basket containing Bindi and bangles is handed around so girls can choose those that match
5159-412: The skin because the active chemical agent, lawsone , is bound within the plant. However, dried henna leaves will stain the skin if they are mashed into a paste. The lawsone will gradually migrate from the henna paste into the outer layer of the skin and bind to the proteins in it, creating a stain. Since it is difficult to form intricate patterns from coarsely crushed leaves, henna is commonly traded as
5236-400: The tikka (forehead mark) to the groom's forehead and blesses him. Exchange of gifts takes place between the two families. Everyone present congratulates the couple by feeding them sweets. The word sangeet is Sanskrit for "sung together." A sangeet ceremony is a traditional Punjabi and North Indian prewedding ceremony involving lots of festive dancing and celebratory songs. According to Sen, "it
5313-523: The time the paste is still on the skin, or after the paste has been removed. It is debatable whether this adds to the color of the result as well. After the stain reaches its peak color, it holds for a few days, then gradually wears off by way of exfoliation , typically within one to three weeks. Natural henna pastes containing only henna powder, a liquid (water, lemon juice, etc.) and an essential oil (lavender, cajuput, tea tree etc.) are not "shelf stable," meaning they expire quickly, and cannot be left out on
5390-612: The vatna ceremonies take place at the groom's house too. But over there, the groom's sister-in-law brings the pitcher of water. As per the tradition, their wedding dress is presented to them by their respective maternal uncles. Jaggo : In this ceremony, the family dances and sings in the beautifully decorated wedding home. Jaggo is celebrated in the last hours of the night. They decorate copper or brass vessel called khadaa with diveh (clay lamps) and fill them with mustard oil and light them. The bride or bridegroom's maternal aunt ( mami ) carries it on her head, and another woman will carry
5467-404: The wedding ceremony. Ghara gharoli : A decorated pitcher of water ( ghadoli ) is brought for the bride's bath by the bride's bhabi (brother's wife). In the ghara gharoli ritual, the bride's sibling or sibling's spouse visits the nearby temple and fills a pitcher with holy water. The girl is then bathed with this holy water. Thereafter, the bride wears her wedding attire. The ghara gharoli and
5544-519: The wedding couple are elegantly painted on this night to act as a sign of their union. In Sindh , henna is known as "Mehndi" and serves both as a decorative art on the hands, arms, feet, and legs, and as a natural dye for gray hair, used by both women and men in every ceremonial occasions, events and festivals. Mehndi is applied with traditional designs featuring motifs like mor (peacock), badak (duck), tikra (dotted), other floral and geometric designs are also used. Typically, female relatives apply henna to
5621-418: The wedding day the rituals at the girl's home begin with the chooda ceremony. The oldest maternal uncle and aunt play an important role in the performance of the ceremony. Choora is basically a set of Red bangles, gifted by girl's mama (mother's brother). People touch the choora and give their heartiest wishes to the girl for her future married life. Also, they sprinkle flower petals on the bride. After that,
5698-484: The wedding venue. Milni literally means "introductions". In a Sikh marriage, Ardas is performed by the person in charge of looking after the Sikh scriptures, followed by the formal introductions of senior men in the families. For example, both eldest chachas (father's younger brother) will come together and exchange garlands of flowers. In the Milni ceremony, the girl's relatives give shagun (a token of good luck) to
5775-410: The world and stored for many years in a well-sealed package. Body art quality henna is often more finely sifted than henna powders for hair. In Ancient Egypt, Ahmose-Henuttamehu (17th Dynasty, 1574 BCE) was probably a daughter of Seqenenre Tao and Ahmose Inhapy . Smith reports that the mummy of Henuttamehu's own hair had been dyed a bright red at the sides, probably with henna. In Europe, henna
5852-792: Was cultivated in the Nasrid kingdom of Granada and applied to the face and hair by both sexes. After the Castilian conquest of Granada (1492), it was forbidden for Moriscos as it was a sign distinguishing them from Old Christians . After the expulsion of the Moriscos (1609–1614), cultivation ceased. In Sudan , Henna dyes are regarded with a special sanctity in Sudan and for that reason they are always present during happy occasions: weddings and children circumcisions, in particular. Henna has been part of Sudan's social and cultural heritage ever since
5929-791: Was popular among women connected to the aesthetic movement and the Pre-Raphaelite artists of England in the 1800s. Dante Gabriel Rossetti 's wife and muse, Elizabeth Siddal , had naturally bright red hair. Contrary to the cultural tradition in Britain that considered red hair unattractive, the Pre-Raphaelites fetishized red hair. Siddal was portrayed by Rossetti in many paintings that emphasized her flowing red hair. The other Pre-Raphaelites, including Evelyn De Morgan and Frederick Sandys , academic classicists such as Frederic Leighton , and French painters such as Gaston Bussière and
#928071