FEATURE
“ Nothing can stop me from getting these amazing tattoos done .” occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr .
“ I came to London from Bangladesh five months ago and before this , I thought mehndi was just popular in South Asia ,” says Rifat Ara Snigdha , a student of the University of Greenwich , London , and resident of Ilford . “ But after coming here , I realised Mehndi art is not just ours anymore . It has become a part of global culture and I ’ m proud of it .”
Eid is the largest religious festival for Muslims , and henna art is an inseparable part of Eid festivities in Asia , Africa , and the Middle East . Muslims hold on to their henna traditions even after moving to Western countries . London is known for its cultural diversity and houses the largest population of Muslims – over one and a quarter million , according to government data . One in every seven people ( 14.3 %) living in London is Muslim , as per the 2019 population estimates by the Office for National Statistics . So , the sight of people flocking to the streets and shopping malls before Eid in areas like Southall , Ilford , Green Street , Upton Park , and Whitechapel is common .
Along with last-minute shopping on the day before Eid , the henna application festival in South Asian , especially Muslim populated areas , has become immensely popular . This has given some people a knack for making amazing henna designs by setting up makeshift henna art stalls . For this , amateur , seasonal , and professional henna artists bring their own small tables , a few chairs , henna tubes and cones , and other necessities from home . They set up their makeshift stalls in front of shops , train stations , on footpaths and plazas .
Sonia Sarker is a student at the University of East London . She set up her henna stall at Green Street for the first time on May 1 , 2022 , the day before Eid-ul-Fitr . “ It ’ s a new experience for me . I don ’ t have classes at the moment and I can do decent designs . So , by setting up this pop-up stall , I ’ m earning some money by doing something I enjoy and also am good at ,” she said .
The price range varies according to the style and length of designs , starting from £ 5 to £ 10 for each side of a hand .
This was the second year that Nadia Hassan , a housewife , was attending this henna art festival as a seasonal henna artist .
She was going to stay until 10 or 11 pm at Upton Park Plaza with her stall . Hassan already got around 35 customers from 12 pm until around 7 pm that day . “ It ’ s a great seasonal income and I also love meeting new people by doing henna tattoos for them ,” she said .
“ It is also beneficial for shop owners in this area , as many of them charge people fees to let them set up tables in front of their shops ,” says Nusrat Sharmin , another henna artist . Sharmin sat in her stall on Green Street with one customer and two more waiting . It was her fourth year . The festivities and excitement go on even after dark , and so do the creative minds and hands of the henna artists .
Henna tattoo , with its growing popularity , is now a widespread form of art that does not belong to a few particular cultures anymore . It has become a force that unites different cultures . This art form not only portrays cultural identity , but also expresses diversity . In short , henna art is such a diversified art form that is now open to everyone .
Tanjima Elham Khandaker
ISSUE 5 SLEUTH 19