The year 2019 just began and we have no idea how we got to Karwa Chauth, but it is really safe to say that Diwali will be around in no time as well. October 2019 is the month of festivities and it is all about decking up and looking your traditional best. Indian festivals are incomplete without Mehendi also known as henna. Mehendi holds immense importance in all holy events celebrated in India, whether it is a wedding or festivals like Teej, Karwa Chauth, Diwali or any kind of puja (holy ceremony) at home. Women of the house and in some cultures even men apply mehndi in intricate designs on hands and feet. It is considered to be extremely auspicious and is said to borne good luck.

Mehndi is body art that originated in ancient India and is used on auspicious occasions. Decorative designs and patterns are formed on hands, feet and sometimes even backs. For people wondering how the mehndi paste is created, henna leaves are dried,  powdered and then turned into a paste using tea leaf water or normal water. Henna leaves have a tendency to leave blackish-maroon and sometimes even orange stains on the body.  Henna is such an important part of Indian culture that sometimes even Mehndi party is held as pre-wedding rituals amongst the Hindu and Sikh community, typically the day before the wedding.

While choosing the mehndi designs, remember that the stain is going to stay for over a week, so you might want to make sure that you choose the best design. Here are some of the Mehendi design inspirations for you:

 

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Beautiful Flowy Design (Short)

 

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Perfect Wrist Design

 

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Minimalist

 

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Pattern Design

 

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Morrocan Mehndi Design

 

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Completely Filled Design

 

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Full-Hand Mehndi Design

 

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Back-Hand Mehendi design

 

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Minimal Pattern

 

 
 
 

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Creeper Floral Design

 

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Did you know that mehndi also has health benefits? It is said that mehndi helps curb stress by cooling the body. It is also known to keep the nerves relaxed and that's why is applied on the hands and feet that are full of nerve endings in the body. The antiseptic agent is also known to protect against a few viral diseases.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 17, 2019 06:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).