Friday, March 29, 2024

Shagun ki Mehndi, A Celebration For a Lifetime


An Indian marriage is more like a festival that starts with the Mehndi ceremony. All the female members of the bride’s family and also the ‘would be bride’ come together to put Mehndi on their hands. It is a celebration, a fun-filled evening or noon that they celebrate with dance, music while adorning hands with green Mehndi. They choose different designs, abstract Mehndi design, flowers, birds and now the picture of a king and queen, etc. this is one of the most interesting pre-wedding ceremonies of Indian families. Some people merge the mehndi and sangeet ceremony to give it a new height of attraction and it becomes a grand one.

History of Mehndi

Mehndi or Mehendi, art has an old history. This is the oldest body art of the world that is still equally popular. Mehndi, the term derived from mendhika, which is a Sanskrit word. It means the Mehndi or the henna plant. Mehndi has great use since the Vedic age or before that. According to history, henna had its existence in mummification too. History says that Princess Cleopatra, who was known for her unmatched beauty used this art too in order to paint her entire body not only her hand.

History of mehendi Boontoon

Mehndi, a Ritual of Indian Tradition

Mehndi is not a new ritual of Indian wedding but it is a part of Indian tradition since the ancient age. Family members and friends apply Mehndi on the bride and groom’s feet and hands before the wedding day. Then the bride and other girls make their choice for design and apply elaborately on their hands and feet. It is counted as a part of solah shringaar for the ‘to be bride’. It is known as “Shagun” or good omen for the bride that brings happiness to their new life.

In a different part of India and other neighbor countries as well, Mehndi is a significant part of wedding rituals. Even Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Arab follows this tradition. Not only the Hindu wedding but Mehndi is a must-have ritual for Muslim weddings too.

Traditional Mehendi Boontoon

As per the Islamic literature, the renowned Prophet Muhammad used henna in order to color his beard. He used Mehndi to treat the person who is unwell too. But an Indian wedding is almost incomplete with the ritual of the Mehndi function. It is a pre-wedding ritual that gives a lot of fun-filled moments to the guests. Many Arabic nations and some Indian subcontinent observe this ritual too.

The True Meaning of Mehndi

Mehndi significance a holy bond of marriage and it brings good luck for the bride and groom. It shows true affection, love, and bond between the families and the couples. There are different believes based on the ritual:
It is told by the people that the dark color of the Mehndi on the hand of the bride represents true, deep love between the couple. People believe that the darkness of color shows that the husband will love more the bride. It also represents a deep understanding and love between the new bride and her mother-in-law.
In popular belief more the Mehndi retains the deep color, more good and lucky it is for the bride and groom.

Dark Mehendi

Mehndi Ceremony Symbolizes Fertility Too

Mehndi has medicinal properties. It is a herb that helps in growing nails. Mehendi also contains a cooling effect and it can remove headache, stress and soothes fever. It is believed that the bride and groom get good relief from stress on the wedding day. It also protects the new couple from the viral diseases before their D day.

Mehndi function comes with a lot of celebration, it is colorful, lively and a musical celebration for the families. Different cultures and families observe different customs and rituals for the ceremony. A day before the actual wedding, it is combined often with the sangeet ceremony and it brings more fun, food, more color and more life, a reason to dance, etc. It becomes a happy time for the groom, bride, their families, and the guests. Another fun part is the hidden initial or name of the groom in the intricate Mehndi design on the hand of the bride. The grooms need to find that during the post-wedding rituals.

Mehendi ceremony

The Stylish Design of Mehndi

The design of Mehndi has changed a lot in the past years; this is more and more modern now. There are different types of Mehndi styles available today and it becomes an art. Rajasthani and Arabic styles are more popular today and you can apply them with added sparkles and crystals too. This style is now known as ornament Mehndi. There are Mehndi artists who create modernized designs as per the choice of the bride. They are now more beautiful and unique.

You Can Make Your Mehndi Function a Colorful One With Some Unique Ideas:

Bangle Making Function:

Add more activity, fun, and color in your mehndi function with this program. Just call the live bangle makers and give your guests a chance to choose the color of bangles as per their dresses. It will meet your return gift idea too. They will enjoy watching the bangle making process too.

Bangle making function

Add Live Entertainment:

You can arrange a live dance or music program on the venue to add more color and fun too. Local folk singers or dancers or the Bollywood singers, you can choose the option as per your budget or desire. Let the bride and groom perform for each other.

Mehendi dance function

Add Mela Vibes:

With interesting food stalls, local ornament stalls, swings, you can add more colors. Create a mela vibe at your Mehndi venue and give more fun options to the guests.

Mela vibes

Have Poolside Mehndi Function:

If it is a summer wedding, the poolside Mehndi function is surely a hit. Arrange some accessories and floaties in the pool and let the guest enjoy digging for them.

Poolside mehendi function

DJ Party:

The DJ party for Mehndi is surely a good idea. It will give guests a good chance to dance out of their hearts.

Mehendi dance

Have a Nail Art Bar:

Obviously, for the Mehndi night, this is a great idea. All the ladies will enjoy designing their nails as they are putting Mehndi on hands.
You can add a photo booth at the location too.

Photo booth

Mehndi Return Gifts:

Return gifts for Mehndi are also popular now. It is a gesture to show your love and thankfulness to the guests. There are different types of gift items that can be chosen for the purpose like the goodies with sweets, flowers, if the budget is high then you can add silver coins, etc it. To maintain the simplicity of the gesture, you can give Mehndi cones by keeping them into a handmade box, some shringaar items like bindi, nail polishes, handcrafted mirror, etc to the girls, etc.

Handcrafted mirror



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