The lotus is one of the most often included symbols in henna designs but also in Indian art and myth. The lotus is a representation of perseverance as well as beauty and in some cases, fertility. The overlapping petals work well in henna designs because of the natural intricacy of their form. These flowers are usually embellished with expanding lines in the background, often creating a scale-like pattern that is capped with arches and other flowing line work. A large lotus with many petals is referred to as the thousand-petal lotus and represents the cosmos and its connection to the soul.

If you were to ask a henna tattoo artist, they will tell you this expression of art is completely freehand and spontaneous. They use what they are feeling at the time to create this art on the body.

In this article, we want to dive into the history of this ancient artform to help others understand the importance of henna tattoos their native countries and what it means for others wanting to wear this on their bodies.

Mehndi, or henna, goes back over 5000 years ago like previously stated but it was also described in the Hindu Vedic ritual books. Henna tattoos were used on men occasionally but for the most part, this was used only for women’s palms.

For henna designs, there are many different directions one can go it. These might include Indian mehndi designs, Pakistani designs and Arabic mehndi designs. When applying these designs in times like these, you tend to see them on the hands and feet of women but might also see them go up the forearm or leg from their starting points.

The origins of the use of the henna leaf paste as something to die things with has been argued but as far as most believe, it began in Egypt with the use on mummies. The henna plant paste was used on the hair and nails of these mummies. Then from Egypt, the henna plant was taken over to India and it has been being used for hands and fee of women since.