Mehndi

Last week my friend Shamima and I spent the afternoon watching the India vs. Pakistan cricket match (one of the most anticipated matches of the world cup series in Bangladesh). As we watched, we snacked on jhal muri (puffed rice, peanuts, crunchy bits and spicy spices), sipped tea and Shamima delicately dribbled mehndi (henna) into beautiful patterns on the palms of my hand. Mehndi is often applied to women's hands for weddings or other celebrations, but sometimes women will just have it done for fun. The latter was the case for me. The mehndi comes as a thick, wet paste, and after applying it to your body you let it dry. Once dry, the mehndi will start to crack off, leaving behind beautiful art for you to look at all week long!