Lifestyle & Culture

Handed-down Art Brings Henna Designer Earnings and Cultural Pride

The thick paste cascades down skin, leaving a trail. As hours go by, the drying paste turns to a granulated, printed design.

That design is known as henna, an art form and body ornament that got its start in the Middle East and North Africa.

When Ditiksha Nanavaty was a little girl, her mother embellished parts of Nanavaty’s hands, arms and feet with henna. Now 21, Nanavaty continues the tradition, which, among other things, helps her buy college textbooks.

When she started doing henna two years ago, “it wasn’t really anything really big,” Nanatavy said. “It was just for my friends, practicing on my mom and myself. I started charging five or ten bucks. Eventually it kind of turned into a small business and it went from there.

“At first I couldn’t even draw a straight line, believe it or not. It was really terrible. My mom just told me to keep practicing and, eventually, I’ll get it. And now people hire me for weddings.”

Nanavaty, whose parents were born in India, does her art for pay at New York City street fairs and various other locations, including the State University of New York at Albany, where she is a student.

Nanavaty’s henna designs range from floral patterns to oval shapes to geometric figures that usually are in shades of red and rust.

“I think of it as an art form,” she said. “ I think art should be expressed whenever, how ever, to whomever, in whatever context. A painter doesn’t say ‘Today is my day to paint,’ so why should a henna artist?”

Henna powder is formed the leaves of a tropical, henna shrub. When oils are added, that creates the paste-like dye. While those dyes are natural, some studies have suggested that some dyes can cause severe allergic reactions and permanent chemical sensitivities.

“Henna is basically a paste from a plant, which leaves behind a stain. When the leaves are dry, they grind it up to make a powder, essential oils are added to make the color come out richer so its all natural based,” Nanavaty said. “But then there is a chemical type, black henna has ammonia in it.”

The growing popularity of henna tattoos has been good for Nanavaty’s business. But that’s not the most important part.

“For me, because I am Indian,” Nanavaty said, “it’s a part of my culture. We always have our hands and feet filled when someone is getting married, especially the bride. For me, it’s a cultural thing and in the Western culture it is considered a big fashion statement.