Quirky pandemic-inspired messages rule bridal mehendi

As the wedding season kicks in early this year due to the threat of a third wave, mehendi artists are getting requests from brides for catchy designs that will remind them of their ceremonies in the pandemic. While bride and groom illustrations wearing masks in mehendi designs hit the market last year, this time it’s all about fun phrases.

On sharing her design of a mehendi which read: “Social distancing is temporary LOVE lasts forever”, Isha, a Surat-based freelance mehendi artist, from Heena by Isha, garnered 280k views.

She says, “This was for an engagement ceremony that took place with closed family members. It was scheduled for April which was postponed to May as the cases surged but was again shifted to June considering the scenario. So aaj kal brides ko aise design chaiye jo situation ke saath match kare.” Ever since the video was uploaded, Isha has received plenty of calls from brides to replicate the art.

Artists have been observing the demand for designs that are more meaningful and hold a significance, especially in the middle of a pandemic. Mumbai-based artist Jyoti Chheda, who has previously designed actors Yuvika Chaudhary and Shweta Tripathi’s mehendi says, “The big day will be captured in photos so brides want to make it memorable. The weddings have been postponed since March 2020, couples and families have been infected, so now they want to make it an everlasting moment and a part of the celebrations.”

So, does customising a mehendi design and incorporating phrases help the artists to save time than working on intricate motifs? Delhi-based Prem Kumar says, “Humara toh roz ka hai kam. Jaise brides maangti hai waise design karna. Thoda time bachta hai inn sab se par iske liye humari likhai saaf honi chaiye.”

However, Capital-based Raju, from Raju Mehandi, who was the artist behind singer Neha Kakkar’s mehendi, feels that despite these trends, it all comes down to the bride’s personal choice. He says, “Ye toh bride ki preference pe hota hai. Pichle saal masks wale designs trend kar rahe the aur abh iss saal aise messages popular ho rahe hai. Kahi kehte hai banane ko aur kahi manna kar dete hai ke kuch Covid related nahi hona chaiye,” he says.