Mehendi is an important part of every traditional Indian celebration. On every auspicious occasion, be it wedding, Diwali, Teej or Karva Chauth, women adorn mehendi designs on their hands. Mehendi finds a place in many sacred Indian texts as a mark of good fortune.
 


Mehendi is a part of solah sringar, which enhances the beauty of a bride on her wedding. A bride’s mehendi holds a lot of importance. Applying mehendi on the hands and feet of the bride and the groom is seen as a mark of a good omen. Also Read: 8 Amazing Hair Care Benefits of Castor Oil
 


There are a lot of popular beliefs attached with applying mehendi to a bride or a married woman's hand. Most popular is that the darker the colour of mehendi gets on one's hand, deeper is the love that her husband has for her. Not only this, it is also said that darkness of the mehendi also stands for the love and understanding a woman shares with her mother-in-law.
 



Karva Chauth is a festival dedicated to celebrate the relationship between a husband and a wife. It is a day when a wife prays for her husband’s long life, prosperity and their martial bond. As a woman gets ready to celebrate the day, she puts on a bright new outfit, enhances her beauty with shringar and makes efforts to look her best. Mehendi is one shringar that adds charm to a woman's beauty and colour to her love.
 


Mehendi has a lot of medicinal properties in it. It is known to be antiseptic in nature. It also has cooling properties that help to soothe headaches and fevers. If traditional beliefs are a thing you go by, then it is also said that mehendi is deemed as a symbolic representation of fertility.
 

Full-hand mehendi design

Mehendi is a paste made from the leaves of the henna plant. This name has been derived from a Sanskrit word, mendhika. Mehendi and haldi are two most sacred ingredients of Indian ceremonies. Mehendi is seen as the symbolic representations of the inner and outer light of a person. Also Read: How to Give Your Bedroom a Romantic Look
 


As trends begin to enter the realm of tradition, mehendi designs too have gone for a fashionable twist. Indian women are now exploring the ideas of applying Arabic style mehendi or mehendi with glitter, apart from the traditional Rajasthani style. The mehendi designs inspired from Arabia are known as Arabic designs.
 


Intricate Arabic mehendi design

In Arabic designs, black or darker shade of Mehendi is used. This makes these designs more prominent and interesting. Arabic mehendi is inspired by the tradition and culture of Arabia, and the motifs of the region find a place in these mehendi design. Many mehendi artists in the India now prefer to apply Arabic mehendi designs because of their colour and vibrant motifs.
 


The day of the Karva Chauth celebrations start from the wee hours of the morning. Women get up and eat sargi, which is a special meal that is prepared by their mother-in-laws. This is also the only meal that they will be having for the rest of the day. Apart from the food, a sargi also includes things like sindoor, bindi, nail colour, mehendi, etc. After that, women use these things to get ready for the preparations of the Karva Chauth puja.
 


Intricate mehendi designs are applied to a woman's hand during traditional Indian celebrations, especially on the wedding. In the beautiful design that adorns a bride's hand, the name of her groom or his initials are hidden. It is a fun post-wedding game for the wedded couple, when the groom has to search his name in his bride’s mehendi design.
 



Glitter, crystals and gemstones are now used as well to give a new twist to the traditional mehendi designs. Women love to add some bling to their intricate mehendi deisgn to match their outfit or accessories. Well, this is the day when a husband showers unhindered love and attention to his wife, looking best for this celebrative fast is something that every married Hindu woman truly enjoys.
 


On the Karva Chauth evening, women get dressed up in their finest and come together to perform a puja. At this puja the legend behind Karva Chauth is narrated. After this, women give gifts to their mother-in-laws such as dry fruits, jewellery or clothes. Women observing the Karva Chauth fast can only break their fast once they see the moon and perform a small puja looking at it.
 

Add vibrant colours to mehendi design

Blue and pink are two colours that go together beautifully in a mehendi design, provided you do not overdo them. Colours add a hint of vibrancy to the otherwise brown and black mehendi designs. Colours have always been a part of Indian traditions and celebrations. Women, who adorn themselves with colourful outfits and beautiful ornaments, can add some hints of the same on their palms as well, with these glitter mehendi designs.
 


In the night, when the moon comes out, women see it and break their fast. They see the moon through a sieve (channi) or a ring. While looking at the moon, they sprinkle water (arak), throw a few grains of rice and sugar towards the moon. After this, wives look at their husbands through the sieve and touch their feet. Wives then drink water and eat a piece of methai (sweets) from their hubby's hand.
 


Karva Chauth not only indicates India’s rich culture, but also the immense love that every wife has for her husband. This festival strengthens the bond that a husband and a wife share. In a twist to the traditions, many husbands too observe a fast on this day to show their love and support for their sweetheart!