Henna (also called mehndi, anella, or lalle) is a temporary “tattoo” and hair dye made from the henna plant (Lawsonia inermis). People in many cultures use it to create elaborate designs on the skin.

Tulsi Yadav teaches Shoba Narayan about the application and design of mehndi, or henna, at the Dera Mandawa haveli in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Formerly a private mansion, the Dera Mandawa is now a hotel.

During weekly bridal appointments, Neha Assar sits cross-legged for five to nine hours as she examines the fine lines and shape of a bride’s hands, gently squeezing the tip of a henna cone and drawing ...

It’s hard to pin down the exact origin of the ancient body art of henna. Some speculate that Cleopatra, perhaps the first name that comes to mind when one thinks of the words “consummate beauty,” used ...