Lauren

My Festival Mehendi

I was really upset when I didn’t have bridal mehendi (otherwise known as henna) when I was a bride back in April. Well, tomorrow there is a festival called Hartalika, celebrating marriage. It’s a little like Karva Chauth and as part of the celebrations, I’ve got my bridal mehendi, hooray. My grandparent in-law have arrived for the festival season, so my grandma, mother-in-law and I will be celebrating the festival together tomorrow.

I was absolutely delighted when my mother-in-law suggested bridal mehendi for this festival. Today, it took two guys nearly three hours to apply, my mehendi for our wedding took only twenty minutes. Poor Alfonso was missing cuddles from his mummy. He saw me and desperately tried to hug me but my mother-in-law held him back to protect the wet designs. Oh, he cried and cried, it broke my heart. Once the mehendi had dried, we had lots of cuddles and kisses.

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It has everything I wanted, a bride and groom on the palms, Lord Ganesh and some peacocks. Ornate and delicate. I think it is so beautiful, I cannot stop looking at it. The smell of the natural mehendi is really strong, this mehendi has come all the way from Rajasthan (the state which stole my husband for three weeks). The natural mehendi gives a beautiful deep orange stain.

Stay away from black mehendi, one of the artists told us about a women in Hyderabad had to have her arm chopped off after having synthetic mehendi applied!

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Wearing my traditional Maharashtrian crescent moon bindi

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I will write about the festival tomorrow (yes, I know, so many festivals lately), I am not really sure what’s involved yet so I will be going with the flow. All I do know is that the day starts with us women (grandma, mother-in-law and I) performing a pooja (prayer) together.

48 comments

  1. The only problem with black mehendi which i noticed…if you have hairing on hands it colors it 😛 I was having black hairs on hands after black mehendi untill didn’t remove them completely 😛

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  2. It is absolutely beautiful! I am so glad you were able to do this. I felt so sad reading about the situation with your mehndi at your wedding. My neighbor had her finger tips dipped in the henna for a festival here in KL. I love the designs, all a work of art!

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  5. I’m so pleased for you, Lauren, as we all know how much this means to you. Delighted also to hear that it was your mother-in-law who suggested it. 🙂 I hope you enjoy the festival. Good luck with your festival pooja debut!

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  6. I am happy for you. I know how upset you were those days, but I am glad that situation has changed and you are getting used to Indian traditions and mindset. The mehandi compliments your fair complexion and you’re looking fabulously beautiful. Enjoy the festival season ahead. Take Care.

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  7. Beautiful, Lauren! A real work of art with so much detail, and very delicate. I love it. I’m also glad that your MIL suggested it, that must feel so good. I can’t wait to read your next post. Take care, Susan. PS: I know you’re artistic, so is applying henna something you’d like to learn how to do? It seems like a cool job if you are artistic ( I’m not!)

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    • Thank you so much, Susan! It is great!!

      I actually tried to apply my own a couple of months ago and it’s REALLY DIFFICULT!!!! It was a mess haha. But, like all things I guess practice makes perfect and I might give it another go some day soon 😀

      I hope you are well!! xxx

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  8. The mehandi suits you very much…Enjoy your festival time ahead…Here we are preparing for Durga Puja in Kolkata…Marketing for new dress already started…:)

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  13. What lovely mehendi, Lauren – the guys were real artists 😉 Really glad that they incorporated all the motifs you’d always wanted. Will your husband be home to see you in all your bridal glory? I’ve always used a mixture of lemon juice and sugar or Vicks Vapour Rub to improve the staying power and heat to deepen the colour, but have you been given any special tips worth sharing? 🙂 So glad you finally got to enjoy this experience. Look forward to pics of your mehendi at the pooja!

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  14. Love the designs lauren. They are absolutely amazing and beautiful. 🙂 Needless to say, you looks beautiful and happy as always. But the mehendi’s colour suits you really well.
    I am happy that its your MIL who suggested you to do the thing. May be she’s trying to make it up. That’s a lovely gesture.
    Enjoy the puja. 🙂

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  17. Yay! So happy to hear your lovely news! I read your other post first and noticed your arms and was pretty sure there was a story somewhere. 😀 Stunning work. The detail is incredible. How long is it expected to last?

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  18. Hi Lauren
    Beautiful ! I guess u have removed the mehendi by now . But don’t wash it water immediately . Just wait for few hrs after it withers off , the colour darkens a lot more 🙂

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