Why do women apply mehndi on Teej festivals?
Hartalika Teej 2025: As soon as the season of Teej-festivals in India comes, colorful beauty starts appearing everywhere. Especially Teej is considered a very special festival for Suhagin women. On this day, women make sixteen adornments and worship Lord Shiva-Parvati and ask for the blessings of unbroken good fortune. Mehndi is one of the sixteen makeup. The tradition of making mehndi in his hands and feet on Teej is centuries old. There are religious beliefs behind this and scientific reasons.
Creating mehndi on Teej festivals is not only a tradition of decorating, but it is a confluence of religious faith, folk tradition and scientific reasons. The scent and color of mehndi make the celebration of Teej even more special. This is the reason that even today, without creating mehndi on Teej, the makeup of Suhagin women is considered incomplete.
Religious importance
Henna has special significance on Teej. It is considered a symbol of pleasant and good fortune. It is believed that just as Goddess Parvati attained hard penance and received Lord Shiva as a husband, similarly women who make mehndi on Teej also get unbroken good luck and long marital life. The red color of mehndi is considered a symbol of Mars and auspiciousness. This is the reason that mehndi is applied not only on Teej but also on marriage, Karva Chauth and other auspicious occasions. It is said that applying henna on Teej makes the husband’s age long and the married life remains happy.
Public beliefs
There are many folk beliefs about mehndi in Indian society. It is believed that the woman whose mehndi is as deep as he gets, the more husband and in -laws get love. It is also believed that fasts like Teej and Karva Chauth are incomplete until mehndi is applied. In some places, it is also a tradition that women from the in-laws send mehndi to their daughter-in-law and daughters on Teej. It is considered a symbol of blessings of good luck and sweetness of relationships.
Scientific reason
The importance of mehndi is not only limited to tradition, but scientific reasons are also hidden behind it.
The biggest quality of natural cool mehndi is to cool the body. Teej often comes in the humid weather of Sawan-Bhadrapada. In such a situation, mehndi reduces the heat of the body and relaxes nerves.
Reducing stress, applying henna on the palm and soles provides relief to the veins. This reduces mental stress and fatigue.
Antiseptic properties have medicinal properties in mehndi. It protects the hands and feet from infection and bacteria.
The natural color of healthy color mehndi not only looks beautiful but it is chemical free, so it is also safe for the skin.
Mehndi and sixteen makeup
Sixteen makeup has special significance in Indian tradition. It is considered a symbol of beauty and Mars of women. Mehndi is counted among these sixteen adornments among the most sacred and auspicious makeups. Applying mehndi on Teej is not just makeup, but it is also an important part of worship and faith.