Mehendi and Sarees - "Real" Indian Women

This morning we got up fairly early so we could get the Indian art "mehendi" (or "henna") drawn on our hands and feet. There are women who learn how to do this and it truly is an art - they use no pattern other than what's in their head. It took the girl about 3.5 hours to do mine alone, and then maybe 45 mins or so for each of the girls. You can kind-of tell them what you want, but with the language gap and translators, you are basically at their mercy :) Mine turned out well I thought. I have one hand that is fully done, and one with some spaces open. On one ankle I have almost a tattoo look, and then the other foot is fairly full. I have gotten it done the other two times I have been here before, but I think I like the final product this time the best out of my 3 tries. The girl was a little slow in application I thought, but she was quite detail-oriented and artistic. To my knowledge it doesn't have any religious ties, unless you had like a god drawn on or something. Basically, Indian women are the most decorated people I have ever seen, and this is just another way they do it. It was fun. It goes on like puffy-paint, and then you let it dry and sit for a while and wash it off. It stays for a few weeks.

Me getting my mehendi applied

Patiently waiting, and trying not to touch anything :)

My hands

Again...

My right ankle - my other foot is done too, and you can kinda see it in the second picture above.

...

Then this evening we all went out to eat at the same place Narasimha and I had our wedding reception at 3.5 years ago. We three American girls all dressed in sarees - traditional Indian woman dress. They are tough to put on and even tougher to wear if you are planning on moving around at all. It just isn't anything we in the US would be used to. But they are beautiful, and come in all sorts of colors and patterns. The girls borrowed some that I have from my last trip in 2005, and I wore one that my mother-in-law gave me this trip. Mine is a special kind of paper-thin silk and it is a beautiful blue, and really brought out the color in my eyes. Wearing my saree also gave me a chance to wear my gold jewelry that goes along with it, so that was fun. So, all 3 of us have had our fun this trip being "real" Indian women for a while :)

Me and Narasimha at the restaurant (and my sis and her friend beside us)

Me and my mother-in-law (attayyagaaru)

3 white chics in sarees, and my niece being a goof :)