« Shuffle – On the iPod: Chiwoniso | Main | Dollars and Sense for Solo Women Travelers »

Photo of the Day: Woman with Henna, India

by Beth (February 27th, 2009)

In India, brides have henna applied to their hands and feet prior to being married. Henna is a sort of temporary tattoo that lasts just a few weeks. It’s painstakingly applied and can be a lucrative business for a talented henna artist. In a country where jobs are hard to find, and even more difficult for women, it is a socially acceptable form of work for women.

Weddings, which typically last a few days in India, may be attended by hundreds and many of them will also employ a tattoo artist.

If you’re thinking about a career change, you might consider henna

Check out more Photo Friday images at DeliciousBaby.

Travel well!

Beth

Read my travel blog on at the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

Join other Wanderlusters and help make this the most popular women’s travel blog by subscribing via email or RSS feed.

5 comments

Comments

On February 27th, 2009 at 11:12 am, Heatheronhertravels said:

I’m not a fan of permanent tattoos but I love these temporary ones – the henna ones seem so elegant by comparison and it’s a nice souvenir to bring back from your holiday.

It reminds me of the Wika (Vegetable dye) tattoo of a snake that I had in Ecuador – I was so sad when it faded.

http://www.heatheronhertravels.com/friday-photo-a-wika-tattoo-in-ecuador/

On February 27th, 2009 at 5:14 pm, Debbie Dubrow said:

I haven’t been to India (yet), but I did get a Henna tattoo here in Seattle a few years ago. The work was beautiful (though nowhere as intricate as the pictures I see of Indian brides) and it was fun to walk around with a tattoo for a few weeks knowing that it would fade long before I tired of it.

On February 28th, 2009 at 9:52 am, Lauren said:

Last year I attended an Indian wedding in Baltimore (a Sikh ceremony) and at the rehearsal dinner the henna artist was tattooing the bride and her bridal party. I got lucky and was asked if I wanted one, too, so I got one on my hand and arm. It was very elaborate and beautiful – like the one in your photo. I didn’t think I’d like it that much because I thought I’d feel too “adorned” but truthfully, it felt as beautiful as it looked.

On February 28th, 2009 at 5:29 pm, globalgal said:

I love henna! When I was a teen living in Kuwait my friends and I would get henna
tattoos all the time. We even tried to make our own henna paste but it was a disaster.
Henna added to dark black hair also comes out beautifully! (But don’t put it in your
hair if you are blond or redhead – you’ll be orange!)

The pic is beautiful!

On March 1st, 2009 at 3:39 pm, Dominique said:

I’ve seen henna artists at some of the arts and world music fests around town. Never quite had the nerve to try getting one, though.