Mehndi has long decorated the hands of many generations of women, but a deeper ritual is revealed behind the delicate designs. Henna can be used to embrace cultural identity, as a canvas for storytelling, and to emphasise sisterhood. Through personal stories and historical insight, we will trace the journey of the sacred tradition and how its meaning has developed.
Henna, or mehndi, has been a special art form for thousands of years, serving as a powerful symbol for identity, femininity and celebrating culture. It is predominantly used by women in South Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East as a temporary body art holding vast cultural significance beyond its beautification purposes. The tradition continues to flourish in modern-day society, making its way to the UK as a means of honouring heritage and embracing cultural identity.
Henna is made from the dried, crushed leaves of the Lawsonia inermis plant and has since evolved to be a sacred art form in many cultures and countries. At the beginning of its origins, henna was not used for aesthetic purposes but for the plant’s natural cooling properties and medicinal benefits.
Henna was employed to aid with stomach aches, burns and open wounds. Sumita Praphakaran highlights that she and her family in India would particularly use it “when it was very hot, we would use it on our hands and on our feet to cool.”
It is now habitually used in important ceremonies, commonly associated with weddings in countries like India and Pakistan. Bridal mehndi is incredibly detailed, with designs that often include floral patterns, symbolisation of messages like prosperity, and even the groom’s name.
In some traditions, the groom’s initials are hidden within the intricacies of the bride’s henna, and he is challenged to find it, a playful custom reinforcing intimacy and anticipation.
The process of bridal mehndi is often ritualistic, emphasising the embrace of femininity and sisterhood. Sumita recalls when she had been a part of such a ceremony, illustrating how the process encourages women to come together and confide in one another.
“There is a lot of dancing; the bride sits in the middle as the henna is drawn, and everyone is joking and chatting away.” It is a communal experience about more than just beautification and decoration; in these intimate spaces, women often find the opportunity to discuss topics that might otherwise be considered taboo openly.
Sumita goes on to say, “You talk about marriage, you talk about relationships, you talk about the future, the ceremony is for women, an area where women to be themselves, that was the fun part.” Through this, the mehndi ceremony becomes more than celebrating female beauty; it is also about embracing female connection through culture, the tradition creating a space for vulnerability and guidance.
After the wedding ceremony, a custom in South Asia emphasises the protection of women in their future marriage. If the bride’s mehndi maintains its colour and is still dark after the wedding, it is believed that she is being cared for well and is not being forced to do any housework or washing up, as henna is very sensitive to water and would begin to fade. This highlights how the tradition is rooted in uplifting and protecting women.
Mehndi plays a vital role for women from diasporic backgrounds, serving as a way to maintain a connection to their heritage whilst also using it as a form of self-expression and navigating their cultural identity.
Karisma Allgoo, a henna artist based in London, illustrates how she was inspired to pursue the art form professionally: “I think the very first time I got my henna done was in Mauritius, and my grandmother applied it on the steps of her house. I just remember really loving it, and when I came to the UK and went to festivals, I wanted to get my henna done, but I couldn’t find anyone; there are not many people doing henna in the UK. I started doing it myself for fun. Around year nine, I would search for cute designs and try to copy them.”
Her journey into henna highlights the profoundly personal and nostalgic role the tradition can play as a link to early cultural experiences or familial relationships. “It did connect me with my culture; it reminded me of Mauritius and my time with my grandmother.”
This emphasises that henna, rooted in thousands of years of tradition, has become an adaptable and personal art form. The stylistic choices and designs vary from artist to artist, providing a unique platform for self-expression and cultural identity exploration.
“Most of my designs are floral based; I’m very drawn to nature. It adds a touch of femininity, and what I like about nature is that it is consistent growth, and applying henna is a similar concept. It starts as a leaf, is ground into a powder, is mixed into a paste and then when you apply it, you have to leave it on, and it doesn’t stop there; it’s always evolving. Once you remove it, it oxidises and changes colour; you still have to care for it, just like a flower.”
This comparison between nature and henna conveyed by Karisma reveals how artists engage with tradition, not just as decoration but as a process embedded with symbolism and intention. It reiterates how the medium can aid women from diasporic backgrounds navigate how they express their cultural identity, each design providing a visual narrative.
Henna can effectively be used as a means to reinforce bonds and connections, even across cultures. Karisma Allgoo, a henna artist based in London, noted a specific client who utilised her bridal mehendi to incorporate her husband’s Irish heritage: “she was getting married to someone who was Irish, so she wanted to include the four leafed clover to represent him.”
In increasingly multicultural societies, like the UK, bridal mehndi can evolve to reflect the layered identities of the women who wear it. The tradition of henna is continuously evolving and is starting to blend with modern elements, like multiculturalism.
The creative flexibility of the artform, depicted by the fusion of these two cultures, highlights a visible celebration of unity and heritage. This blending has also been prominent in recent years as henna has increasingly gained popularity in western popular culture, it being recognised for its beauty and cultural significance. Its presence is now commonly found at festivals and in fashion, opening up the opportunity for people to learn about the tradition and its rich history.
It has also opened up discussions about the difference between cultural appropriation compared to appreciation; Sumita Praphakaran notes how she thinks henna being adopted into western culture is “a good thing, culture evolves and changes. Culture mixes and is not something you hold on to. Everyone should use it in the way they want to express themselves.”
