Applying mehendi is a beloved tradition in many Indian households, where everyone gets together to decorate each other’s hands the night before a wedding.
In Chennai, the options of mehendi are more than ever. Thanks to social media, professional mehendi artists showcase their work online, like a portfolio, for the customers to contact them and pick the design they like seamlessly. Suganya Pandian is one such artist, with four years of professional experience, famous for her bridal mehendi. She loves using the organic cones, made from the wholesale mehendi powder from Rajasthan, and adds eucalyptus oil to it. The self-taught artist from West Mambalam travels all over Tamil Nadu. “I once did mehendi for a Vietnamese bride in Chennai. It was the first time she was getting her hands decked up, and she was keen on the floral and mandala designs. Most importantly, the joy of bringing smiles to faces is what makes my job rewarding,” she says.
Designs telling stories
“Opening a mehendi studio is my biggest dream,” says Nivethetha Ravi, who is all about custom designs that tell the bride’s story. “I can understand their culture and become a storyteller but through my mehendi,” she says.
However, making money in this profession is still not easy. Suganya says that dealing with payments can be a hassle. “Sometimes, customers bargain a lot, and compare our designs with the other mehendi artists. You see, not everyone has the same style. Each artist has her own unique style. Plus, this job can get tough on the neck and result in back pain, especially with intricate bridal designs that can take up to four hours,” she says. Her bridal package starts with ₹2,500 for the brides and ₹100 for the guests.
Shahira Banu, who has been doing mehendi for about 20 years, highlights the competition she has to face. “I haven’t changed the price for the last 5 years. When I started, many people were applying the thick designs, but now it’s the newer, intricate designs which take more hours. Yet, some of us offer intricate designs for a lesser price because we need to attract customers amid the increasing number of professional artists,” she says.
Ready for any design
Nivethetha says these challenges are similar to her own experience. She says the artists’ job does not begin only when decorating the palm, but much earlier, when they listen to the stories of their customers. “I need to understand their needs and what they want to showcase through their mehendi, because this ‘henna’ art varies across cultures. With clear communication, I could provide the output accordingly. A few will specify designs on the spot, but most people discuss them in advance,” she says. “We are ready for any design,” Nivethetha adds.
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