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Dipti Nair
Doha
For Eid al Fitr, women of all ages flock to beauty salons to get their hands, and sometimes, feet tattooed with henna designs. Henna has been a very important element of Eid celebrations for centuries, and even today, for women, Eid is unthinkable without henna designs adorning their arms.
Make Up District, that was founded 12 years ago in the UAE by Emirati Maryam B, and has completed two years in Qatar at the Adagio Hotel in West Bay, is a very popular destination in the days leading up to Eid. Women book in advance for the various services offered by the salon, and above all, for the henna services.
"A lot of women like to get henna done during Eid as it makes them feel fresh, new and beautiful. Many families even have a henna night celebration, where all the women of the family and friends gather together at one place. We also offer home service henna for such occasions," says Maryam.
Henna and Eid
"We usually celebrate Eid al Fitr with lavish feasts and buy new clothes to celebrate and enjoy the joyous occasion. Henna is a big part of this," says Maryam.
The use of Henna in Muslim communities serves as a visible marker to display an individual's piety and devotion.
"The henna plant grows significantly in the Middle East and that could be one of the reasons henna plays a big role in Islam," says Maryam."We believe that in some places, henna use was introduced with the arrival of Islam while in other areas, the arrival of Islam may have strengthened the traditional use of henna already present there.
"Eid has always been one of the best days of the year for me. As a child, I would look forward to dressing up in new and usually traditional clothes. Of course, henna would be a big part of it. I remember the first time I had henna put. I thought my hands were dirty and wanted to wash them, then I realised that it is a part of the celebration," she notes.
Origins
The English word 'henna' has its origins in the Arabic word 'Al Hinna'. It is also called as 'Mehendi' in Hindi and Urdu. The actual origins of henna is a subject of much debate, with some researchers arguing it originated in India, and others saying it was brought to India by the Egyptians in the 12th Century. Still others maintain it actually originated in the Middle East or Africa.
Past vs Present
Maryam says that in the olden days, henna was prepared at home by making a paste of henna leaves and water.
"They didn't care too much about design then. They just wanted to have the henna colour. The henna would be applied in a circular design on the palm and the fingertips would be covered with it too."
This style is popular even today and mostly elderly women and small children sport it. Before the advent of the henna cone, designs were made using toothpicks and it was usually a friend or relative who would apply the henna on the women of the house.
"Nowadays, henna is an essential part of any celebration, be it Eid or weddings," Maryam explains."Usually people prefer to only get the designs done on their palms and back of the hands. But depending on the occasion, some designs go all the way up to their arms and some even get it on their feet."
Types
Henna, which is made from henna leaves, can either give an orange, dark orange or dark brown colour, depending on the type of henna and other additions to it. But lately a lot of chemical-based 'henna' is available in the market, one of them being the Black Henna, which causes side effects and skin problems because of the dye used in it.
"Black henna is losing its popularity as people are getting aware of its negative effects on the skin. People prefer brown or brownish red henna which have no chemicals or dye in it. Just recently 'white henna' has been introduced in the market and is an exciting option for those who have a darker skin tone or who don't want the traditional red henna," she says.
White henna is not henna and is made from body paint or a kind of body adhesive that can be applied with a cone and sealed with glitter or colourful powders for a different kind of body art.
Designs
Henna designs vary according to the region and cultural background but the most popular designs are Pakistani, Indian, Arabian and African.
Pakistani and Indian style- In this very popular style of henna, the design is detailed and fine and the designs can range from simple to very complex.
Arabian style Arabian designs are simpler in comparison and mostly consist of leaves, vines, flowers etc. In Arabian designs, the shapes are not filled, only outlined.
African style Mostly the henna designs chosen in Africa are simple geometric shapes with lines, squares and dots and like the Arabian design, these are also not filled.
The cost of getting a henna design done can range anywhere from QR130 to QR 550 depending on the style, design and where you want to get the henna done.
For Eid al Fitr, Maryam recommends going for the traditional brownish red henna."At Make Up District, we keep the designs simple and minimalistic. Few vines and flowers on the arms will look beautiful and elegant and add to the celebratory fervour of Eid."
