A Hindu bride is a work of art: Her hands and feet are a canvas for the most intricate of henna designs. It is said that the darker the colour of the design, the more love and welcome she will receive from her in-laws – so getting it right is an absolute must.
Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is a flowering plant native to the tropical and subtropical zones of Africa, South Asia and northern Australasia. The plants are cultivated most heavily in the Pali district of Rajasthan, where more than 100 henna processors operate in a single city. The henna they produce is used domestically within India but also exported around the world, where henna body art and hair dye are growing trends.
Since the Bronze Age, henna has been used to dye not only textiles but also skin and hair. The dark reddish brown stain that it leaves on the skin makes it perfect for body art, particularly as it is only semi-permanent, and it has been used as a cosmetic hair dye for the past 6,000 years. It is claimed that
