in Wedding in India

by ashah

This is how the henna/mehendi is applied. The henna is filled in a cone, similar to a pastry cone, and the design is "drawn" on the hands. It is then left to dry, generally overnight, since it is a natural dye. (This gets messy so most people wear gloves for the night). It is suggested to warm hands over the stove/fire, for the color to be deeper.. and no touching water. The next day, one has to scrape it off (not wash with water). After that you see the red color of the dye. I love the (strong) fragrance of this herb. Most women do. The men... not so much.