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Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Katrina Kaif to sport a bikini for ‘Dostana 2′
Katrina Kaif made her Bollywood debut with ‘Boom’. The film bombed at the box-office, but Katrina created stirs with her hot skin show for the flick. Nevertheless, her career soared high slowly and of late, she has refrained from much exposure in her recent films.
But as she is set to exude appeal for ‘Dostana 2’, she will don a bikini for the film. Priyanka Chopra had impressed everyone with her goldne bikini in ‘Dostana’ and now, Manish Malhotra is designing Katrina’s beach wear and selecting the colors that suits her the most.
Dostana 2 will have Katrina in a more sexy look than her cute look which she has been seen with in her recent flicks.
Neil Nitin Mukesh to play Priyanka’s one of the seven husbands
Priyanka Chopra is on a high these days with having a spectacular 2009 with quite a few hits and many awards. Though her ‘Pyaar Impossible’ bombed at the box office, its failure did not deter the actress in any way. She is not set to play a unique role in ‘Saat Khoon Maaf’ where she will be seen with seven husbands. While Naseeruddin Shah will be her oldest husband, Neil Nitin Mukesh will play the youngest husband and is apparently quite excited and keen about the role.
He said, “When I heard the script, I was zapped. This was something I had to do. I play one of Priyanka’s husbands, the youngest of the lot. The fact that I get to be in the same film as actors like Naseeruddin Shah and Mohanlalji was incentive enough.”
“I’ve a somewhat crowded date diary this year. I join Abbas-Mustan from June to December for Italian Job,” he added.
Neil has recently shifted to Powai so that he is close to Yash Raj Studios and saves the commuting time owing to heavy traffic.
“The traffic on that side of town is just as bad. It’s excruciating to travel even from Powai to Yash Raj Studios. On Thursday I had a day off and I invited my mom over to do up my new home the way I wanted it,” Neil explains.
Vindu Dara Singh’s wife sizzles in bikini for Cloud Nine Calendar
Vindu Dara Singh may have created nationwide stir after winning the season 3 of the reality show ‘Big Boss’, but his better half, wife Russian model Dina Umarova, wins everyone by her stunning pics in bikini for the 2010 Cloud Nine calendar of the famous fashion photographer Manish Chaturvedi.
Last year, the calendar was shot in Mahabaleshwar. This year, the setting was the sun-kissed beaches of Naigaon (on the outskirts of Mumbai).
Vindu Dara Singh had been earlier married to the Bollywood actress Farah, the elder sister of actress Tabu. They have since divorced and have a son Fateh Randhawa.
After 7 years of his divorce with Farah, he got married to Dina Umarova, a Russian model with whom he has a daughter Amelia.
Check out Dina in bikini for the calendar and also at the launch of the calendar in Mumbai.
Priyanka Chopra bags the best actress national award for ‘Fashion’
The 56th National Film Awards on Saturday, handed over as many as 13 awards to Bollywood. However, the Bengali film ‘Antaheen’ stole the show by winning the best feature film award and three more awards.
Priyanka Chopra bagged in the best actress award and Kangana Ranaut got the best supporting actress honour, both for Madhur Bhandarkar’s ‘Fashion’. Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Rock On’ got the best Hindi film award and actor Arjun Rampal won the best supporting actor award for the same film.
The Indira Gandhi award for the Best debut film of a director went to Neeraj Pandey’s ‘A Wednesday’, Yash Raj Films’ ‘Roadside Romeo’ bagged award in the best animation film category. Dibakar Banerjee’s satirical ‘Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!’ was awarded the best popular film award.
The award for best direction has gone to Bala for Tamil film Naan Kadauul, while the best actor is Upendra Limaye for Marathi film Jogva.
Music launch of ‘Karthik Calling Karthik’
The music of Farhan Akhtar’s much awaited film, ‘Karthik Calling Karthik’, was released recently at a suburban multiplex of Mumbai amidst the cast and crew of the film. The trio of Shankar Ehsaan Loy has introduced a new singer in the film, Elisa Mendonsa, who happens to be Loy’s daughter.
Talking about the music of the film, Farhan said, “Shankar Ehsaan Loy could never manage to disappoint anyone with their music. Honestly, Karthik Calling Karthik has some of the best songs heard. I hope everyone will like it as me.”
Explaining the reason for not having sung himself for any song in the film, Farhan said, “There was no need for me to sing in this film since my character didn’t required to. Karthik doesn’t even talk much in the film so if I start singing, it would look out of character. Even in Luck By Chance I didn’t sing. In Rock On, singing was an integral part of the performance. So it depends on the film.”
Talking about the film and its making, Director Vijay Lalwani said, “This is my first film and I desperately wanted to get the film made. So honestly, I never thought whom to cast as Karthik. For me, Karthik was the main character in my story. When we started our company Magic Beans, Amit and I thought why not try Excel out. I narrated the script to Farhan and he was on. Even Deepika said yes to it, which was surprising. So everything fell into place.”
Kangana Ranaut has reasons to celebrate
Kangana Ranaut seems to be on seventh heaven as she wins the National award for best supporting actress in Fashion at the 56th National awards announced on Saturday.
An elated Kangana said, “There’s a mini-celebration in my house, though my parents were crying when they heard about it. At 23 I seem to have cracked the highest cultural award for the country. What more can I do? I should just pack up and go back to my home in Himachal now with my parents.”
Not only her parents, but her fans too are overjoyed at her achievement. In fact, a Delhi-based fan of hers, Sameer, sent her a huge gift hamper to congratulate her for her National Award win. The hamper contained three boxes – one that had 22 wine bottles, one with 22 cakes of different types and sizes, and one with 22 accessories like earrings, bangles, bracelets, etc.
Attached to the gift hamper was a note from the fan which read, “22 because you are 22-year-old and a National Award is no mean achievement at such a young age.”
What more can a 22 year old actress ask for?
Bollywood stars in ‘Phir Mile Sur’
‘Mile Sur Mera Tumhara’ had created stirs 22 years back as it exuded the essence of unity and nationality of India. This year, as India completes 60 years of its Republic, the song has been re-created as ‘Phir Mile Sur’ featuring more than 60 known personalities, including actors Aamir Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Salman Khan, Shilpa Shetty and Juhi Chawla. In all, the song features 22 superstars, 18 musicians, 13 artistes and singers and 15 other known personalities. The song has been composed by jazz artists Louis and Geno Banks.
The earlier version of the song featured vocalists Bhimsen Joshi and Balamurali Krishna, sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, tabla maestros Allah Rakha and Zakir Hussain, sportsmen Narendra Hirwani and Prakash Padukone and film personalities like Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Lata Mangeshkar, Mithun Chakraborty, Jeetendra, Hema Malini, Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, Kamal Haasan, Sharmila Tagore, Tanuja and Waheeda Rehman.
Amitabh Bachchan, who released this album, expresses his gratitude and says, “I was part of the old Mile Sur… and now yet again I am fortunate to be part of this one. We have integrated many tunes together and that’s precisely the message of this video.” Featuring in the video is well known musician Sivamani, who says, “I wanted to do something unique for this so I started playing drums on water. This has never been done by any artist.
Deepika Padukone and Bipasha Basu on the ramp for LFW 2010
Lakme Fashion Week kicked off the Summer/Resort 2010 Collections with Rocky S who came up in a palette of pastel hues like pink, peach, nude and turquoise and then moved to luxurious shaded tones which finally ended with ivory and black….and lots of gold trim and embellishment. All of it accessorized with diamonds from a new collection ‘Queenie for Giantti’ (a new line from sponsor Gitanjali Lifestyle) and the well known Bombay jewelry designer, socialiter and columnist. The showstopper for Rocky S was his all time favorite Bipasha Basu.
Deepika Padukone was the showstopper for the designers Shantanu and Nikhil who entered the sports arena with their new S&N label for Adidas Style Essentials. The collection called “Motochic” included track pants, shirts, muscle sleeve and body hugging Tees, skirts, tunics as well as trendy bags, belts and wallets, footwear and accessories. The entire collection was in (NYC) taxi cab yellow, black and white….and was presented on a runway/roadway, with flashing lights, road detours and the white line down the middle– keeping the models in and out of the traffic.
Check out Bipasha Basu and Deepika Padukone as they sizzle on the ramp for Lakme Fashion Week 2010.
Marriage makes Esha Koppikar worried about her hot scenes in ‘Right Yaaa Worng’
Eesha Koppikar has given quite a few sizzling hot scenes in her forthcoming ‘Right Yaaa Wrong’ and the actress was quite worried about the scenes before her marriage. After all she is now the bahu of a traditional family.
The film has Eesha playing the role of Anshita, Sunny Deol’s wife. Deol plays a cop and Eesha an interior designer who is a modern and independent woman. Eesha apparently plays a cheating wife who has a torrid, sexual affair on the side with newcomer Aarav Chowdhary as well.
Filmmaker Subhash Ghai is all praises for Eesha’s performance in the movie and says, “Eesha’s not only hot as ever in the film, she’s cool as an actress too.”
Newcomer Aarav was very nervous while shooting the lovemaking scene with Eesha. It took quite a few rehearsals and also some encouragement from Essha to help Aarav get over his inhibitions.
“It was a very nervous feeling to make love to Isha in the film. We had to do many rehearsals before canning the act. The seductiveness of Isha is quite palpable in the bath tub scene. Moreover, the fact that I was a relative newcomer in front of Isha made it all the more difficult for me to enact the scene. Finally, after many rehearsals and some good encouragement from Isha, we have performed some of the best love scenes ever performed on the big screen,” says Aarav.
Harman Baweja & Kareena Kapoor awarded as worst actors
In the style of Hollywood’s Razzies, the second Golden Kela awards was held this Friday night where actor Harman Baweja won the Worst Actor award for his performance in “What’s Your Raashee?” and Kareena Kapoor got the worst actress title for her role in “Kambakkht Ishq”. Interestingly, even Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallone and Denise Richards won the “Baawra Ho Gaya Hai Ke” (Have you gone muts) Award for participating in “Kambakkht Ishq” alongside Kareena and Akshay Kumar. The movie also won the worst film award, thus bagging in the highest number of ‘worst’ awards.
Abhishek Bachchan won the Dara Singh Award for worst accent in “Delhi-6″. Sporting as Abhishek is, he posted on twitter, “Another milestone in my career. I won the Golden Kela award for worst accent in ‘Delhi 6′. Chalo at least ‘Delhi-6′ won something. I’m overjoyed!”
The chief guest of the evening was Bollywood funnyman Cyrus Broacha, who was awarded the Cyrus Broacha Memorial Award. “It’s great. I’m thrilled. I hope to win this award every year,” Cyrus said.
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar won the “Bas Kijiye Bahut Ho Gaya (Please stop its Enough) Award”!, asking him to stop making films. Ashutosh Gowariker was declared worst director for “What’s Your Raashee?” Jackky Bhagnani and Shruti Haasan were declared the worst newcomer actors for their roles in “Kal Kissne Dekha” and “Luck” respectively.
As expected, none of the stars named for the awards were present at the event.
Beautiful Aishwarya at the audio launch of ‘Rettachuzi’
It is not very common to see the Bachchan Bahu at the audio release of a film. But the occasion was special here as it was the audio launch of Tamil film “Rettachuzhi” produced by Shankar, who is directing her in “Endhiran: The Robot”.
Aishwarya looked ravishing as ever in a white saree at Sathyam Cinemas Monday evening.
“When we explained to her the significance of ‘Rettachuzhi’ and the cast of the film, she immediately agreed. It’s not just her beauty but her commitment towards her profession, which has made her a great actress,” said Shankar who was obviously thrilled to have her at the occasion.
Ash released the audio cassettes and CDs of “Rettachuzhi” which were accepted by noted lyricist Vairamuthu. Ash had once been described by Vairamuthu as a “Taj Mahal weighing 50 kilograms” in one of his lyrics for the film “Jeans”.
The fans were elated when Ash spoke in fluent Tamil and later switched backed to English.
“It’s an honour for me to have been present at this place among legends like Balachander and Bharathiraaja and I feel proud about it. I also feel happy that a woman is treated so respectfully at a public function like this,” she said.
“I can never forget the Tamil film industry and director Shankar in my life. Shankar’s ‘Jeans’ was my first successful film. The many things I learnt during the making of the film gave me enough self-confidence that I could continue to act for a few more years.
“I feel even more proud to be part of Shankar’s ‘Endhiran’ opposite superstar Rajnikanth…I watched a few songs and some sequences from ‘Rettachuzhi’…I think Karthick Raaja’s music and tunes are excellent. I would surely watch the film in future,” she added.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Silk Saris-Sarees
Silk Saris-Sarees
Silk, the queen of textiles dominates the textile industry with its luster, sensuousness and glamour. The history of silk, goes back to 4,500 years. India is the second largest producer of silk, contributing to about 18 per cent of the world production.
Today, silk weaving tradition in India revolves around the sari, the ethnic traditional wear that is worn in most parts of the country. The Indians dress themselves in elaborate and colorful silk sarees on festive occasions. The vibrant colours, light weight, resilience and excellent drape etc. have made silk sarees, the irresistible and unavoidable companion of Indian women. Indian silk is popular all over the world with its variety of designs, weaves and patterns.
Silk, one of the oldest known fibre is a protein fibre, produced by the silkworm for spinning around its cocoon. Five main variety of silks are available in India namely Mulberry silk, Tasar silk, Eri silk, Muga silk and Oak Tasar silk. These are obtained from different species of silkworms which in turn feed on a number of food plants.
Silk, the queen of textiles dominates the textile industry with its luster, sensuousness and glamour. The history of silk, goes back to 4,500 years. India is the second largest producer of silk, contributing to about 18 per cent of the world production.
Today, silk weaving tradition in India revolves around the sari, the ethnic traditional wear that is worn in most parts of the country. The Indians dress themselves in elaborate and colorful silk sarees on festive occasions. The vibrant colours, light weight, resilience and excellent drape etc. have made silk sarees, the irresistible and unavoidable companion of Indian women. Indian silk is popular all over the world with its variety of designs, weaves and patterns.
Silk, one of the oldest known fibre is a protein fibre, produced by the silkworm for spinning around its cocoon. Five main variety of silks are available in India namely Mulberry silk, Tasar silk, Eri silk, Muga silk and Oak Tasar silk. These are obtained from different species of silkworms which in turn feed on a number of food plants.
RINGs
RING
In Western tradition, an engagement ring is a ring worn by a woman indicating her engagement to be married. Conventionally, the ring is presented as a betrothal gift by a man to his prospective bride while he proposes marriage or directly after she accepts his marriage proposal. It represents a formal agreement to future marriage.
In some countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, it is worn on the left-hand ring finger, while in other countries, such as Poland and Ukraine, it is customary for the ring to be worn on the right-hand. Similar traditions purportedly date to classical times, dating back from an early usage reportedly referring to the fourth finger of the left hand as containing the vena amoris or "vein of love".
In the United States and Canada today it is becoming more common, but still rare, that a woman will also buy her partner an engagement ring at the time of the engagement. These may be called male engagement rings or man-agement rings, which is a portmanteau of "man" and "engagement ring". This practice is more common in other countries.
Before agreeing to marry, a couple may choose to buy and wear pre-engagement rings, also called promise rings. After marrying, the couple may wear both engagement rings and wedding rings, or just their wedding rings, as they prefer.
Styles
This wedding set contains two separate rings, either of which could be worn separately. This wedding set contains two separate rings that look incomplete separately.
Most engagement rings, like any other kind of jewelry, can be classified according to their style. Since the middle of the 20th century, diamonds have widely featured in engagement rings. Solitaire rings have one single diamond. These traditional engagement rings may have different prong settings and bands. Another major category is engagement rings with side stones. Rings with a larger diamond set in the middle and smaller diamonds on the side fit under this category. Three-stone diamond engagement rings, sometimes called trinity rings or trilogy rings, are rings with three matching diamonds set horizontally in a row with the bigger stone in the center. The three diamonds on the ring are typically said to represent the couple's past, present, and future, but other people give religious significance to the arrangement. A wedding set, or bridal set, includes an engagement ring and a wedding band that match as a set. In some cases, the engagement ring looks "incomplete"; it is only when the two halves are assembled that the ring looks whole. In other cases, a wedding set consists of two rings that match stylistically and are worn stacked, although either piece would look appropriate as a separate ring. Although the wedding band is not to be worn until the wedding day, the two rings are usually sold together as a wedding set. After the wedding, the bride may choose to have the two pieces welded together, to increase convenience and reduce the likelihood of losing one ring.
In Western tradition, an engagement ring is a ring worn by a woman indicating her engagement to be married. Conventionally, the ring is presented as a betrothal gift by a man to his prospective bride while he proposes marriage or directly after she accepts his marriage proposal. It represents a formal agreement to future marriage.In some countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, it is worn on the left-hand ring finger, while in other countries, such as Poland and Ukraine, it is customary for the ring to be worn on the right-hand. Similar traditions purportedly date to classical times, dating back from an early usage reportedly referring to the fourth finger of the left hand as containing the vena amoris or "vein of love".
In the United States and Canada today it is becoming more common, but still rare, that a woman will also buy her partner an engagement ring at the time of the engagement. These may be called male engagement rings or man-agement rings, which is a portmanteau of "man" and "engagement ring". This practice is more common in other countries.
Before agreeing to marry, a couple may choose to buy and wear pre-engagement rings, also called promise rings. After marrying, the couple may wear both engagement rings and wedding rings, or just their wedding rings, as they prefer.
Styles
This wedding set contains two separate rings, either of which could be worn separately. This wedding set contains two separate rings that look incomplete separately.Most engagement rings, like any other kind of jewelry, can be classified according to their style. Since the middle of the 20th century, diamonds have widely featured in engagement rings. Solitaire rings have one single diamond. These traditional engagement rings may have different prong settings and bands. Another major category is engagement rings with side stones. Rings with a larger diamond set in the middle and smaller diamonds on the side fit under this category. Three-stone diamond engagement rings, sometimes called trinity rings or trilogy rings, are rings with three matching diamonds set horizontally in a row with the bigger stone in the center. The three diamonds on the ring are typically said to represent the couple's past, present, and future, but other people give religious significance to the arrangement. A wedding set, or bridal set, includes an engagement ring and a wedding band that match as a set. In some cases, the engagement ring looks "incomplete"; it is only when the two halves are assembled that the ring looks whole. In other cases, a wedding set consists of two rings that match stylistically and are worn stacked, although either piece would look appropriate as a separate ring. Although the wedding band is not to be worn until the wedding day, the two rings are usually sold together as a wedding set. After the wedding, the bride may choose to have the two pieces welded together, to increase convenience and reduce the likelihood of losing one ring.
Thinking about getting a tattoo?
Thinking about getting a tattoo?
All kinds of people who like body art (but don't want a permanent tattoo) are decorating with henna, a plant-based dye native to Asia and Africa.
The henna tradition is thousands of years old; all over Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, henna is used to celebrate (weddings and rites-of-passage in India and Pakistan), to meditate (martial arts students in Thailand), and for everyday beauty (hands, faces and feet in North Africa).
Do you regret that ink tattoo you had at some point in the past? You're not alone! The American Academy of Dermatology notes that even though the medicine of tattoo removal has improved, it's still expensive and time-consuming, and the results may not be entirely satisfactory. Dermatology and Laser Associates of Medford uses advanced laser technologies to remove cosmetic tattoos without scarring. You'll need between 3 and 30 treatments at $360 per treatment to remove your tattoo. Red and multi-colored tattoos are more difficult to treat, while amateur and black tattoos are more easily removed.
Perhaps best known as part of a traditional Indian wedding, the bride and her family and friends throw a mehndi party and are decorated with symbolic designs. "The deeper and darker the henna stains, the more likely it is that the mother-in-law will love the new daughter-in-law, and the marriage will be happy."
Here in Southern Oregon, Neeta does henna for weddings, but you'll also find her and other mehndi artists at street fairs, baby showers, birthday parties and women's events. It was at the Talent Harvest Festival last fall where Christina Hartwell met Neeta, and arranged for Neeta to do henna at her daughter's baby shower.
"I wanted it to be a really special celebration for Jeanette," Christina says. "When you're pregnant you tend to not feel, you know"¦ This was a celebration of her stomach." Hugely pregnant at seven months, Jeanette loved it. "The design enhanced the size of my stomach, it was a flower around my belly button and swelled out, a traditional henna design," she remembers. "We did it for the sheer fun of it, for the beauty."
Mehndi costs between $10 and $25, and takes 15 minutes to an hour and a half depending on the complexity of the design. A party of six will run about $125 to $150. The longer the henna stays on the skin, the darker the design will stain, so let the original henna designs stay on the skin for as long as possible by keeping it dry and intact for about 12 hours. Mehndi will last for two to three weeks, and then gradually fade.
Last summer Alissa Rae, who teaches at Ashland Pilates Center, discovered Neeta at a Jackson WellSprings festival. "Neeta did the whole top of my foot, down onto my toes because I was wearing sandals," Alissa says. "She took what seemed like mud and turned it into what looked like a quilt. I was dumbstruck; it almost vibrated, it was so neat." In the weeks to come, Alissa smiled inside every time she saw her foot, thinking it was intriguingly beautiful in the perfect Pilates movement.
Later Alissa watched Neeta draw henna on a client's hand, filling the palm and back of the whole hand in honor of the client's birthday. Neeta didn't say much, just listened and the mehndi session became an almost spiritual experience, woman to woman. "We talked about what she wanted for her birthday, what she wanted for her year," recalls Alissa. "It was like setting her intentions for the year in a way that wasn't revealing or vulnerable, just really sweet and meaningful."
Mehndi allows you to make just another day into a day to remember, to celebrate special occasions, or just celebrate yourself.
"Henna makes me feel really good, it's almost like being anointed," Alissa explains. "Like I am honoring a part of myself, revealing a part of me, finding a beautiful part of myself. It signifies to me inner strength, part of that femininity, that honoring."
The ancient Indian art of mehndi is a great alternative to permanent ink that's needle-punched into your skin. Mehndi artists use a paste made from the henna plant to draw intricate designs on the body that are ultra-feminine and filled with mystery — and they're temporary.
When you want a tattoo and your parents say "No way," henna is a perfect compromise it's beautiful, it's temporary, it's safe, and it's way in.All kinds of people who like body art (but don't want a permanent tattoo) are decorating with henna, a plant-based dye native to Asia and Africa.
The henna tradition is thousands of years old; all over Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, henna is used to celebrate (weddings and rites-of-passage in India and Pakistan), to meditate (martial arts students in Thailand), and for everyday beauty (hands, faces and feet in North Africa).
The henna tradition is thousands of years old; all over Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, henna is used to celebrate (weddings and rites-of-passage in India and Pakistan), to meditate (martial arts students in Thailand), and for everyday beauty (hands, faces and feet in North Africa).
"In India, henna is a big part of the culture. We do henna for every occasion to bring good fortune, good luck for the house, the people," explains Neeta Singh, a mehndi artist in Talent. "Some people do it on their back and other parts of their body, but it's most customary to apply mehndi on the hands, feet and forearms. It stays longer and looks more beautiful on the palms." Neeta draws the mehndi free hand using a small applicator that paints the henna into paisley, peacocks, flowers and leaves.
Do you regret that ink tattoo you had at some point in the past? You're not alone! The American Academy of Dermatology notes that even though the medicine of tattoo removal has improved, it's still expensive and time-consuming, and the results may not be entirely satisfactory. Dermatology and Laser Associates of Medford uses advanced laser technologies to remove cosmetic tattoos without scarring. You'll need between 3 and 30 treatments at $360 per treatment to remove your tattoo. Red and multi-colored tattoos are more difficult to treat, while amateur and black tattoos are more easily removed.
Perhaps best known as part of a traditional Indian wedding, the bride and her family and friends throw a mehndi party and are decorated with symbolic designs. "The deeper and darker the henna stains, the more likely it is that the mother-in-law will love the new daughter-in-law, and the marriage will be happy."
Here in Southern Oregon, Neeta does henna for weddings, but you'll also find her and other mehndi artists at street fairs, baby showers, birthday parties and women's events. It was at the Talent Harvest Festival last fall where Christina Hartwell met Neeta, and arranged for Neeta to do henna at her daughter's baby shower.
"I wanted it to be a really special celebration for Jeanette," Christina says. "When you're pregnant you tend to not feel, you know"¦ This was a celebration of her stomach." Hugely pregnant at seven months, Jeanette loved it. "The design enhanced the size of my stomach, it was a flower around my belly button and swelled out, a traditional henna design," she remembers. "We did it for the sheer fun of it, for the beauty."Mehndi costs between $10 and $25, and takes 15 minutes to an hour and a half depending on the complexity of the design. A party of six will run about $125 to $150. The longer the henna stays on the skin, the darker the design will stain, so let the original henna designs stay on the skin for as long as possible by keeping it dry and intact for about 12 hours. Mehndi will last for two to three weeks, and then gradually fade.
Last summer Alissa Rae, who teaches at Ashland Pilates Center, discovered Neeta at a Jackson WellSprings festival. "Neeta did the whole top of my foot, down onto my toes because I was wearing sandals," Alissa says. "She took what seemed like mud and turned it into what looked like a quilt. I was dumbstruck; it almost vibrated, it was so neat." In the weeks to come, Alissa smiled inside every time she saw her foot, thinking it was intriguingly beautiful in the perfect Pilates movement.
Later Alissa watched Neeta draw henna on a client's hand, filling the palm and back of the whole hand in honor of the client's birthday. Neeta didn't say much, just listened and the mehndi session became an almost spiritual experience, woman to woman. "We talked about what she wanted for her birthday, what she wanted for her year," recalls Alissa. "It was like setting her intentions for the year in a way that wasn't revealing or vulnerable, just really sweet and meaningful."
Mehndi allows you to make just another day into a day to remember, to celebrate special occasions, or just celebrate yourself.
"Henna makes me feel really good, it's almost like being anointed," Alissa explains. "Like I am honoring a part of myself, revealing a part of me, finding a beautiful part of myself. It signifies to me inner strength, part of that femininity, that honoring."
How to Create Mehndi Tattoos
How to Create Mehndi Tattoos
Mehndi, or henna tattoos, is a Hindu art that forms an intricate design most commonly on the feet and palms of the hand. Most commonly used during Hindu weddings, Mehndi is thought to bring good luck and fortune to the wearer.
Not only is Mehndi a beautiful art growing in popularity, the henna used is said to create a "cooling" effect that stimulates the nerve endings. With a few steps, you can create your own Mehndi tattoos for any occasion.
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
* Henna leaves or powder
* Strainer or flour sifter
* Mustard oil
* Tea
* Parchment cone (for cake decorating)
* Toothpick
* Cotton balls
* Sugar
* Lemon juice
Step 1
Prepare the henna paste that you will use for your Mehndi tattoo by first sifting any debris from the leaves with a kitchen strainer or flour sifter. Crush the leaves into a fine powder and add 1 tsp. of mustard oil for every 3 tbsp. of powder. Add hot tea, any flavor, until the henna forms a thick mud-like consistency. Allow the henna paste to set in a cool dark location for 48 hours before applying.
Step 2
Place the henna paste into a parchment cone and secure the end with a clip or rubber band. Make sure the cone has a very small, fine opening for even application of your Mehndi tattoo design.
Step 3
Squeeze the parchment cone gently and apply the paste to your skin to create the pattern of your Mehndi tattoo. It takes a while for the color to set into the skin, so you may wipe away mistakes in your design with a toothpick if necessary.
Step 4
Keep the area on your skin where you have applied the henna paste as horizontal as possible as the paste dries. The color will set better if you keep the area warm, so sit near a fire or heater.
Step 5
Dip a cotton ball in a 50/50 mixture of sugar and lemon juice and apply it very gently to the paste when it is almost dry. This solution will help the color to darken and set deeper. Keep the henna paste on your skin for at least 4 hours before rinsing with warm water. Your final Mehndi tattoo should last for several weeks.
Bridal Mehndi Fashion
Bridal Mehndi Fashion
The Mehndi or henna motif is not only the adoration of the bride rather it epitomizes her transformation from a virgin girl to a temptress for her husband. As per Kama Sutra, henna is one of the sixty four arts of women. Popular motifs of the bridal mehndi are conchshell, flowers, Kalash, peacock, doli and baraat patterns. The intricate motifs of the bridal henna also hide the husband's name. It is said that the husband's name in the intricate henna motifs is made for the groom who has to find out his name in his bride's mehendi as an evidence of his sharp eyes and active brain to impress his girl.
Mehndi function is usually organized with the sangeet function. So, it has a festive feel to it with the women dancing and singing traditional songs on the mehndi ritual. The bride is dressed in light color clothes with light jewelry. According to the custom the bride must not step out of the house after the mehendi ritual until the wedding day. It is believed that the darker and deeper the henna stains the more the husband and the in-laws will love her bride. The ritual of mehendi signifies the strength and power of love in a marriage so it is regarded good omen for the would-be bride. It is said that the long the bride retains the mehendi, the more auspicious would be her future.
Weddings in India are considered to be a sacred and sanctified ritual. A typical Indian wedding is 3 days long. Pre-celebrations and post celebrations, talk about a party! The Mehndi is one of the most important and fun pre-wedding rituals. Celebrated by the bride, family and her friends. Different regions of the country celebrate the ritual in a different way according to their own marriage customs, rituals, and culture.
Bridal Heena… Oh its time to enjoy and feel of bridal heena design for the first time. Basically, it is the wonderful and graceful feeling of the bride which is presented on palms of the bride. Today there is a fashion for putting the design on the back of hand. It is important for a bride to have Mehndi on her palms at least. The bride holds a leaf and betel nut in her open palm while the groom puts his hand over hers.
So, it is important for groom’s hand to be covered with Mehndi. Some of the designs which are proper and famous for marriage ceremony have numerous ancient and symbolic associations like the peacock, musical instruments, coconuts, and pictures of a bride and groom.
Mehndi or Henna itself is eco-friendly. It is a natural tattoo paste, made from the roots of the Henna plant. Green Mehndi is ground to a fine paste. Mehndi is symbolically an important part of the Indian wedding. As Mehndi changes its colour from green to orange-red after application, so does a bride flower into her womanhood after marriage.
The Mehndi or henna motif is not only the adoration of the bride rather it epitomizes her transformation from a virgin girl to a temptress for her husband. As per Kama Sutra, henna is one of the sixty four arts of women. Popular motifs of the bridal mehndi are conchshell, flowers, Kalash, peacock, doli and baraat patterns. The intricate motifs of the bridal henna also hide the husband's name. It is said that the husband's name in the intricate henna motifs is made for the groom who has to find out his name in his bride's mehendi as an evidence of his sharp eyes and active brain to impress his girl.Mehndi function is usually organized with the sangeet function. So, it has a festive feel to it with the women dancing and singing traditional songs on the mehndi ritual. The bride is dressed in light color clothes with light jewelry. According to the custom the bride must not step out of the house after the mehendi ritual until the wedding day. It is believed that the darker and deeper the henna stains the more the husband and the in-laws will love her bride. The ritual of mehendi signifies the strength and power of love in a marriage so it is regarded good omen for the would-be bride. It is said that the long the bride retains the mehendi, the more auspicious would be her future.
Mehndi, a way of sophisticated body art
Mehndi, a way of sophisticated body art
Mehndi The application of Mehndi as an art. Apart from clothes and jewellery, currently one can use colours on one's very skin as a way of exposing one's personality. The most familiar form of body art is the use of Mehndi. Mehndi or henna is a flowering plant whose leaves are used to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather, silk and wool.
The use of Mehndi in the Indian sub-continent's culture is a sign of a joyous occasion, such as Diwali, Eid, New Year celebration, wedding, engagement and so on.
Origin of Mehndi
Mehndi originates from a bush called Lawsonia Inermis grown in the Sudan, Egypt, India, most of the North African counties and the Middle East also.
The bush also grows quite larger in Florida and California that ranges from six to twenty feet. Mehndi or henna comes in many different shades or colours, ranging from reddish orange to brown-black. Other colours available are usually artificially mixed and have dyes added to the natural Mehndi, these usually do not last as long as natural Mehndi.
Mehndi The application of Mehndi as an art. Apart from clothes and jewellery, currently one can use colours on one's very skin as a way of exposing one's personality. The most familiar form of body art is the use of Mehndi. Mehndi or henna is a flowering plant whose leaves are used to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather, silk and wool.
The use of Mehndi in the Indian sub-continent's culture is a sign of a joyous occasion, such as Diwali, Eid, New Year celebration, wedding, engagement and so on.
Origin of Mehndi
Mehndi originates from a bush called Lawsonia Inermis grown in the Sudan, Egypt, India, most of the North African counties and the Middle East also.
The bush also grows quite larger in Florida and California that ranges from six to twenty feet. Mehndi or henna comes in many different shades or colours, ranging from reddish orange to brown-black. Other colours available are usually artificially mixed and have dyes added to the natural Mehndi, these usually do not last as long as natural Mehndi.
Mehndi, a way of sophisticated body art
Mehndi The application of Mehndi as an art. Apart from clothes and jewellery, currently one can use colours on one's very skin as a way of exposing one's personality. The most familiar form of body art is the use of Mehndi. Mehndi or henna is a flowering plant whose leaves are used to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather, silk and wool.
The use of Mehndi in the Indian sub-continent's culture is a sign of a joyous occasion, such as Diwali, Eid, New Year celebration, wedding, engagement and so on.
Origin of Mehndi
Mehndi originates from a bush called Lawsonia Inermis grown in the Sudan, Egypt, India, most of the North African counties and the Middle East also.
The bush also grows quite larger in Florida and California that ranges from six to twenty feet. Mehndi or henna comes in many different shades or colours, ranging from reddish orange to brown-black. Other colours available are usually artificially mixed and have dyes added to the natural Mehndi, these usually do not last as long as natural Mehndi.
Natural ones can last for anything between 1-2 weeks depending on the number of times the coloured area is washed and on the body temperature.
Mehndi designs
Traditionally there are four separate styles of Mehndi designs. The Middle Eastern style similar to the Arabic textiles, paintings and carvings is mostly made up of floral patterns.
Generally the North African style shapes the hands and feet using geometrical floral patterns.
Lastly, the Indonesian and Southern Asian styles are formed with a mix of Middle Eastern and Indian designs using blocks of colour on the very tips of their toes and fingers.
In Bangladesh, are most popular because of being thin, prominent and elaborate Pakistani designs are very popular in Bangladesh, which are a blend of the north Indian style and Arabic motifs - flowers, leaves and geometrical shapes.
Apart from these styles remain popular today Celtic designs and Chinese symbols have also been joined in popularity.
Mehndi customs
In India, Pakistan and Bangladesh today wedding is celebrated in a much larger canvas than before. Mehndi occupies a significant mainstay in all parts of a wedding ceremony in all Eastern wedding traditions. No wedding is complete without the decoration of the bride's hands and feet as traditionally, Mehndi designing for any Indian sub continent's bride is a must event.
Traditionally brides get together with her friends and spend hours applying the henna to her skin to mark the day special. There is an interesting reason for the bride for using Mehndi that she is not likely to join in household work until the henna is gone.
A blessing of mother-in-law is important to Asian brides of many cultures. Mehndi ceremony is sacredly considered as a symbol of blessing for the bride's married life. That's why the ceremony cannot move ahead unless the mother-in-law has applied the first spot of Mehndi to the bride's hand. Besides, the bridegroom's hands are also decorated in some customs and communities in Kashmir and Bangladesh evolving particular designs for men. Mehndi is also used in weddings and other special occasions that include worship and work.
Mehndi in different countries
In the Gulf regions including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates Mehndi night is a very common phenomenon.
A few days prior to the wedding they celebrate the Mehndi night like the Indian culture. The brides decorate her hands and feet and mothers and grandmothers sing traditional songs making the night enjoyable and memorable.
Mehndi is also used in other Middle Eastern celebrations such as births and christenings. Mehndi decorations became chic in the Western countries in the late 1990s. Western communities have adopted many wedding traditions of Eastern countries incorporating the application of Mehndi on hands and feet, the great Indian way. Apart from the similar use of Mehndi It has also become a business in the developed world.
Other use of Mehndi
Mehndi is considered as short-term tattoo, which is totally safe as it is made of all natural ingredients. It only lasts for a few days.
Mehndi is served as symbols of status, religious significance, marks of fertility, pledges of love, talismans for protection, and marks of slaves and convicts.
Now- a-days Mehndi has broken free of the traditional wedding and is being applied for different occasion like worldwide Valentine's Day bash, celebration of new year and in others joyful occasion.
Hands decorated with Mehndi arrest the attention of lovers. It's a symbol of love. Mehndi is also an excellent conditioner for hair and used to colour premature grey hair. It is also applied on the head to stop hair loss. There is also medical use of Mehndi as many herbal doctors still recommend the use of Mehndi for some ailments such as dry skin.
Conclusion
The age-old typical Indian custom and an essential part of brides' makeup, Mehndi has created global appeal. Now ready-made Mehndi is readily available from most shops in most countries with different designs. Mehndi usually stays on the body for fifteen to twenty days, varying with the body heat of each individual. It fades gracefully.
Hands decorated with Mehndi arrest the attention of lovers. It's a symbol of love. Mehndi is also an excellent conditioner for hair and used to colour premature grey hair. It is also applied on the head to stop hair loss. There is also medical use of Mehndi as many herbal doctors still recommend the use of Mehndi for some ailments such as dry skin.
Conclusion
The age-old typical Indian custom and an essential part of brides' makeup, Mehndi has created global appeal. Now ready-made Mehndi is readily available from most shops in most countries with different designs. Mehndi usually stays on the body for fifteen to twenty days, varying with the body heat of each individual. It fades gracefully.
How to apply Mehndi?
How to apply Mehndi?
You can make your own powder by drying henna leaves in shade. It might take weeks for them to dry to a crisp and you need to grind them thoroughly. You may also buy henna powder from the market.
Take....
1. Henna powder sieved through a muslin cloth.
2. Well strained strong tea decoction.
3. Eucalyptus oil (few drops).
4. Strained lime juice.
5. Sugar (one table spoon).
You can make your own powder by drying henna leaves in shade. It might take weeks for them to dry to a crisp and you need to grind them thoroughly. You may also buy henna powder from the market.Take....
1. Henna powder sieved through a muslin cloth.
2. Well strained strong tea decoction.
3. Eucalyptus oil (few drops).
4. Strained lime juice.
5. Sugar (one table spoon).
Take the henna powder in a bowl, add the tea till it becomes a thick paste (similar to a dough). Add eucalyptus oil, sugar and lime juice and mix well to make it into a smooth and thin paste.
Leave it covered over night or during the day if you prefer to apply in the night.
Make a cone....
Take a thick plastic cover or use any thick freezer bag - cut it into shape of rectange 7" X 4". Twist one corner of the cover to make a cone. Tighten the tip to make tiny hole. Hold the tip and fill the paste and tie the broader end tightly with a thread.
You also get readymade cones from the market.
Leave it covered over night or during the day if you prefer to apply in the night.
Make a cone....
Take a thick plastic cover or use any thick freezer bag - cut it into shape of rectange 7" X 4". Twist one corner of the cover to make a cone. Tighten the tip to make tiny hole. Hold the tip and fill the paste and tie the broader end tightly with a thread.
You also get readymade cones from the market.
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