Pakistani weddings are renowned for their joyous rituals and vibrant celebrations. The traditional wedding festivities last three days, starting with the most beautiful event: the Mehndi (or Mayun) day. On this “Full Masti Day,” all of your elders, including maternal and paternal aunts, are invited with great respect, as their presence is essential to this festive occasion. This cultural tradition begins with decorating the home and culminates in the “Mithai Rasm,” the ritual of sharing sweets.
Everyone loves to attend the Mehndi/Mayun ceremony because this day is so special. Today, we will detail all the rituals (Rams) for families living in the United States who wish to celebrate their henna day, along with Pakistani mehndi dresses and traditional desi customs. Let’s get started!
01: The Yellow Sharara
If you have ever attended a mehndi ritual, you likely remember the vibrant yellow shade commonly seen in the Bride’s dress (though some modern weddings incorporate different colors). The yellow sharara is the signature outfit for traditional mehndi events. Desi brides-to-be typically wear a short kurti (the top) paired with a wide-leg yellow gharara or sharara, adorned with gota kinari and other embellishments.
02: Simple or No Makeup
This ritual may seem a bit strange. On the mehndi day, every other girl among the guests typically does simple or bold makeup, but the Bride does not. She keeps her face very simple, without lipstick, mascara, or facial treatments. In the villages, girls love to sing with the Bride while clapping and performing traditional songs in her native language.
03: Gajra Flowers in Bride’s hands and hair
In Mayun, there is a historical tradition of decorating the Bride’s arms and hair with floral jewelry known as Garja. These flowers, which can be artificial or sometimes actual, are typically in off-white colors that shimmer beautifully during the nighttime festivities. Guests and relatives of the Bride adorn her hands with these gajras (flower bracelets). Flowers are the symbol of love and happiness, which may explain the significance of this tradition.
04: Haldi Tradition (Applying Tumeric Paste on the Bride’s hands and feet)Â
In this historical tradition involves the Bride’s hands and feet are decorated with a special turmeric paste. Skilled female relatives create beautiful floral designs using this paste. One of the main parts of this tradition is when a family member writes the groom’s name on the Bride’s palm.
05: Sweet’s Tradition (Mithai ki Rasm)
A significant ritual in Asian families during the mehndi celebration involves family and friends approaching the Bride and groom. They take some dry mehndi, place it in a decorative leaf that the Bride and groom hold, and then feed them sweets. In this unique tradition, each family member participates one by one, applying the mehndi and giving some money and a sweet to the Bride. They also enjoy a sweet for themselves.
06: Dholki Tradition
Excluding the drum from the mehndi celebration would make the entire event feel incomplete. Girls sing traditional songs accompanied by the rhythmic beats of the dholki. This is my favorite ritual. Over time, some new elements have been added to this tradition, such as the Bride and groom dancing together.
07: Joota Chupai Rasm
Joota Chupai is a playful tradition in which the Bride’s family, typically the sisters and girlfriends, “steal” the groom’s shoe and then demand payment for its return. This event is meant for entertainment, although this tradition has become obsolete or is no longer practiced in some families.
08: Doodh Pilai
One of the final traditions in the ceremony is called the dood palai rasm. During this mehndi ritual, the Bride’s sister holds a cup of milk as she welcomes the groom’s family. In a playful twist, the sisters often ask for a “price” in exchange for the milk. Once the groom finishes drinking from the cup, he is expected to fill it with cash and return it to his new sister-in-law.
Final Thoughts
Our fashion designers have identified the most popular mehndi traditions. If you are aware of any other mehndi traditions, please share them with us, and we will add them to this article. Additionally, if you are planning to get married soon, don’t forget to visit our website to select your favorite outfit today!
You may also like these:
