Ceremonies & Traditions

What is Rasm-e-Heena?

Rasm-e-Heena is the henna ritual in Muslim weddings in India and Pakistan, at which the bride's mehendi is applied and family members bless her, often with songs, sweets and a small dot of henna on her palm.

Rasm-e-Heena explained

The rasm (ritual) can be an intimate family event or a large celebration. The groom's family may send the henna and gifts to the bride's home.

Designs for the ritual are usually dense Pakistani, Mughal or Indo-Arabic styles, with lighter Arabic designs for guests.

Also searched as: rasm e henna · rasm-e-mehndi · mehndi rasm muslim wedding

Mehendi designs related to rasm-e-heena

Mughal Mehendi

Mughal mehendi is an ornate style inspired by Mughal architecture and miniature painting, using arches, domes, lattice screens and formal floral borders arranged in tiers up the hand.

Pakistani Mehendi

Pakistani mehendi is a fine-line style with tightly packed fillers, delicate florals and lace-like detailing that covers most of the hand, often combined with a cleaner Arabic-style outline.

Related mehendi terms

MayunMayun is a pre-wedding ceremony in Pakistani and North Indian Muslim weddings where the bride is anointed with ubtan (a turmeric paste) and traditionally begins a period of rest before the wedding; it often leads into the mehndi function.DholkiA dholki is an informal pre-wedding music night in Punjabi and Pakistani families, named after the dholki drum, where women sing folk wedding songs. Mehendi for the bride and guests is often applied during or alongside it.Mehendi CeremonyThe mehendi ceremony is a pre-wedding function, usually held one or two days before the wedding, at which the bride's hands and feet are decorated with henna while family and friends celebrate with music, dance and food.Chand RaatChand Raat, meaning "night of the moon", is the eve of Eid when the new crescent moon is sighted. It is one of the busiest nights for mehendi, as women and girls apply henna for the Eid celebrations the next day.

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