For centuries, henna has been considered the source of decoration for women. In the old times, the leaves of henna used to be soaked in water then crushed and turned into a mixture. Only then was the henna made usable. Then, with great difficulty, it was put on with the tip of a pin or a thin piece of wood.
Chand raat and henna go hand in hand because the preparation for Eid has already been completed. A month before Eid, all the clothes and shoes are bought. Bangles, makeup, everything is assembled. Even things needed to serve guests are bought beforehand. But beautiful designs made on hands is only done one day before Eid. Once the moon is sighted, all friends sit together and put henna on each other's hands because without henna Eid does not seem like Eid. Older women do not put on much makeup or wear flashy clothes but they put on henna fondly. For centuries, henna has been considered the source of decoration for women. In the old times, the leaves of henna used to be soaked in water then crushed and turned into a mixture. Only then was the henna made usable. Then, with great difficulty, it was put on with the tip of a pin or a thin piece of wood. After that, henna too was developed and cone henna was introduced allowing it to be put on palms to wrists to now arms. Before, armlets worn were made of gold. Now henna is used to make attractive designs which as compared to the past take lesser time and colour appears quickly. In the past, after putting on henna, one had to wait for a long time for it to become dry and after several hours passed the colour would appear. Presently, this whole process only takes a few hours however the colour fades quickly. There was a time when henna was only applied on occasions like a wedding, Eid or other such functions but today courtesy of cone henna and beauty parlours one can observe hands filled with henna all the time. Sudani, Arbi and Maimni henna is most popular. Getting your hands and feet decorated in a minimal amount of money is nothing difficult. The prettier the henna is on one's hands the more the people look at it and appreciate it. This is exactly the reason why it is no longer restricted to be used at celebrations only instead, it has become a part of fashion and girls use it as jewellery naturally.
Henna is becoming increasingly popular in the west: In the west, the craze of henna has become so intense that women put it not only on their hands and feet but even on their elbows and calves. Some women even go as far as to put it on their necks as a replacement for necklaces with brand new designs and they do not wait for a special occasion in doing so. Among us, neither the wedding nor the Eid is complete without henna. Simply by thinking of Eid, one thinks of beautiful hands adorned with henna, jangling bangles and hennaed wrists. It feels nice to give Eidi (money) to such hands.
A few important details about henna: Time it takes for henna to absorb into skin: Henna remains on one's skin for 7 to 30 days. It depends on the texture of one's skin and how long it has been applied on hands and also on its quality.
The best place for good absorption of henna: The henna is best absorbed in the corners or palms of hands or bottom of the foot. Applied henna gives best results when used on areas with no or lesser pores such as hands, feet, neck etc.
Effect of skin colour on henna: It is commonly accepted knowledge that henna looks good on fair skin when in fact skin colour does not have anything to do with henna's colour instead it is the type of the woman's blood that matters. Specialists say that henna gives a deeper colour on people with hot blood.
To take of henna: (1) Rub suntan lotion. (2) Wash skin in water mixed with chlorine. (3) Washing dishes or clothes with hands can also remove henna. (4) If the designs begin to fade, make a ball of roti (dough) and soak it in hydrogen peroxide then use it on your skin. This will erase the remaining marks.
