HENNA WEDDING TRADITIONS
Henna as Folklore
The henna wedding ritual has been practiced for centuries and is rich in folklore. Bridal henna is a popular tradition in North Africa, West Asia, Somalia, South East Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Near East, and India.​ Henna night ceremony, also known as the Mehndi party, is commonly celebrated the day before the wedding. Family and friends gather as mehndi is painted onto the skin in complex designs, which come in various patterns. In addition to its stunning appearance, mehndi is also applied to cool the body and relieve the bride of stress before her wedding day. This also symbolizes her confinement to her home before marriage.
In Muslim culture, this right of passage has origins back in the time of the prophet Muhammad. The lore states that the night before a religious attack, Muhammad gathered his followers and painted henna onto the palms of his soldiers while they prayed. In it's origins, the red color of the henna symbolized blood, suggesting that the soldiers were ready to sacrifice themselves in the name of God. In modern day, the red color of the henna symbolizes love between couples in marriage. This war ritual went on to become a marriage ritual, representing the transition from daughter of her mother's household, to now an adult wife of her husband's family.
In Hindu culture, henna, or mehndi , is one of the solar shringar, the sixteen bridal adornments that are to be worn by the bride on the day of her wedding. The solar shringar is a sacred ritual, passed down from ancient Hindu culture.
The Night Before
The Wedding
Henna night is a bridal ritual which takes place at the bride's parent's house the night before the wedding. The bride's mother personally invites family, friends, and neighbors. The ritual begins when a religious elder prays. The bride then enters the room, usually dressed in a red headscarf, followed by her unmarried friends who are holding lit candles. The bride then sits as her friends walk in circles around her as the prayers continue. Once the prayer is finished, the religious elder begins to sing emotional coming of age songs. The participants share a tear, and a henna cup is placed into the hands of the mother-in-law. The mother in law attempts to place some henna from the cup into the hands of the bride, however she is meant to refuse this offer until a gold coin is placed into her hand.
