Henna Design

One of the most fascinating forms of human art I have ever had the fortune to witness was henna design. Seriously! Never before or never again have I come across an art that makes use of nature’s bounty so well in order to give man something close to a temporary tattoo. Tattooing too is a man made manifestation of nature’s bounty. But there is something so quaint and ethereal about henna design that simply takes your breath away.

The first time I had the opportunity to see henna design in action was during my trip to Rajasthan, India. One of the most common occurrences in this desert state is the organization of large community fairs. People from all the nearby tribes and villages come together to gather and celebrate in a fair that could range from a day to a couple of weeks. The longer the duration, the bigger the fair. And the bigger the fair, the more mammoth the attendance.

I happened to be a part of the spring fair. It was a three day affair and seems to be a place filled with the exuberance of human life that can only be found in a developing country. The people were simple and their wants simpler. But they approached the fair with a certain vivid color, gusto and spirit that I have found difficult to duplicate. Anyways, the point I am trying to make is that I happened to see my very first henna design here.

I happened to notice the henna design as I was walking around the fair trying to capture the color of all that I saw. I suddenly came upon two women sitting on the ground, seemingly absorbed in some elaborate and intricate ritual. When I moved closer, I saw that it was a henna artist and that she was applying one of the finest henna designs I have ever witnessed. I stood there for a long time, seeing her at work as one customer after another came

Ever since, I have been a natural fan of intricate and complex henna designs. And I’ve even embarked on my own quest of gathering the best of designs to compile in the form of a book. Guess who is going to be on the cover? My henna design muse of course!