The most popular traditional use is tied closely with weddings and bridal preparation and these designs tend to be the most ornate. Mehndi is a form of body art and temporary skin decoration from the Indian subcontinent usually drawn on hands or legs. They are decorative designs that are created on a person's body, using a paste, created from the powdered dry leaves of the henna plant. It is a popular form of body art in South Asia including countries such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal and resembles similar traditions of henna as body art found in North Africa, East Africa and the Middle East. In the West, mehndi is commonly known as henna tattoo. Henna has been used as a dye for the skin since ancient times.
