Henna Tattoo – A Prehistoric Pattern of Decorating Women

Henna, also called hina, a tropical flowered plant, a tall bush or tiny tree, its name originating off the Arabic word Lawsonia Inermis, normally grows in Africa, Northern Australia and Southern Asia. Its leaves yield red orange dye applied in tinting the human hair besides hands and feet.

Fresh leaves of the henna plant are dried and crushed to a fine powder. Mehendi, the multicultural art of henna body decoration has become an alternative to the everlasting traditional tattoo. Henna is a challenging medium for the artist. If you would like to learn more about applying henna, browse over to the makers of Mehendi Information page since the skin is the largest organ of the body and it is important that we are kind to it. Henna has been used for coloring the hair. Henna hair colors are herbal and hence safe to use. Moreover, they keep your hair cool.

Tattoo off henna is an old Indian Body Art called Mehendi, which employs henna plant to ink or tinting to complex patterns, otherwise referred to as modern day and alien patterns conventionally utilized on different parts of our body particularly the ladies’ hands and feet to mark any special celebrations.

Since the early Bronze Age of the Eastern Mediterranean and ancient context of Ugaritic Legend of Anath and Baal, mehendi is applied for wedding and fertility festivities with women found marking themselves as preparation to meet their spouses. Between 1500 -500 BCE, statuettes and pictures of young women with their hands, nails and feet with markings and old designs were discovered. Henna tattoo or mehendi is worn as a mark of love and happiness and Hindus, Jews, Zoroastrians and Christians feted the marriages by adorning the brides besides he grooms with henna as a pre-marital besides other festive rituals to shower happiness and bright fortunes to the couples. Beliefs and traditions indicate henna makings on women’s bodies pull healing, love, happiness and protection.

Of late, men too find henna as an alternate option to permanent tattoo as it is painless besides being temporary due to its lasting property extending to maximum 4 weeks. Besides the constant change in designs enable its easy removal.