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Mehndi to Dye For | |
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Chetna Sangani is one of the Toronto area's busiest mehndi artists.
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EYEBROW
ARCHING (By Threading)
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Mehendi to dye for Well-known mehendi artist Chetna Sangani is booked weeks in advance for henna sessions just before Eid. "Just before Eid, before Karwa Chouth, for weddings...for any specal occasion!" she laughs. This is a particularly busy time for chetna who also specialises in facials, hair care and bridal make-up. "It's a natural goft," says the medical lab technician-turned-beautician, of her mastery over the art of henna. "It was my hoobby. I used to paint with henna cones. My sister was a beautician and, initially, I got invloved to help her out." that involvment turned into a change of profession.Chetna has been decorateing hands and feet and other body parts in Canada for the past 11 years. |
Chetna advises her clients to keep the henna on for at least an hour after application,overnight,if possible. After that, to scrape it off and apply warm clove or eucalyptus oil. the colour changes from orange to maroon or brownish red, depending on the individual's body heat, she says. "Arab patterns, with flowers and vines, are very popular. Indian patterns tend to be full, they cover the entire surface, whereas Arab designs rely on delicate tracery. Even my non-Asian clients ask for these designs," says Chetna, getting her mehendi cone ready foranother client. She also points out that though for other occasions many ladies prefer not to use henna on their nails and go for nail polish instead, for Eid, they always use henna to dye their nails. |
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| Henna
designs draw Chetna Sangani of Markham has been praciting mehndi for two decades. Her clients arrive at her house, bare of henna enhancement, and leave with as much - or as little adornment as they wish. |
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Chetna Sangani, left, of Markham, puts the finishing touches to the feet of Heather McTavish, who had tge intricate designs applied for her high schoolprom last week.
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| The rage with
teens, henna body decoration has deep spiritual roots Today, henna's use has become more a cultural phenomenon than a religious one, says Chetna Sangani, One of the Toronto area's busiest mehndi artists. Like most traditional mehndi artists, Sangani has hidden the names of the bride and groom into her patterns; the wedding night cannot commence until the groom has found the names. |
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Sangani, a Hindu
says women and sometimes chidlren get mehndi designs prior
to Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights. Hindus believe that Lakshmi,
the Goddess of Prosperity, dwells in henna designs. Muslim women
are hennaed on festiveal days, birthdays, even baby showers - "any occasion
to express happiness," Sangani says.
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The air is filled with a musty, herbal stench
as Chetna Sangani refills her cake decorating like cone with a blob full
of dark green gue. "It's a symbol of good luck, usually worn on special occasions," says Sangani, a mehndi artist for the past twenty years originally from Bombay. |
"It is also considered an
exciting part of the wedding According to Sangani, as of late, the art of mehndi has become a huge fashion craze. "Westen culture has adopted this age-old tradition into a temporary tatto fad", she says. Recently, Sangani was contracted by Coca-Cola, to work her mehndi magic on models for an upcoming t.v. commercial. "I realized that I had an artistic gift to create designs, so I followed my instinct," she says as she looks up a moment, and then continues to draw a curvy line that seems to have no end. "Every hand and foot is a fresh canvass for me, and I like that." |
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