It is that time of the year when in our house, mehndi cones, along with lemon and sugar mixture in a small steel bowl, a few cotton balls, all placed in a big plate, occupy the space on the kitchen counter right next to the microwave oven. Through the summer it stays there with replacement cones and other materials as needed. Like most girls, my daughters love to get their hands and feet adorned with mehendi. They can hardly wait for the stain to fade away completely, which usually takes about 2 weeks, before applying again. No special occasions like festivals or weddings, we do this just because! It has become somewhat of a summer tradition.
Their Daddy used to help out with making the cones. Like with everything else he does, a great deal of research went into finalizing the cone design so it was fool proof. And I shall cherish the cotton candy feeling I got as I watched him make the beds with an old sheet to sleep on when they kept it on overnight, making sure they were comfortable, hugged and kissed goodnight taking care not to smudge the mehndi on the hands.
We have been doing this since the girls were very young. Now, they try a few designs of their own and often ask for my hand to practice on. We have had quite a few birthday parties over the years where I got a chance to decorate many cute hands and have thoroughly enjoyed the look of fascination and wonder on the children's faces. Here are a few pictures from over the years:
