Photo Courtesy: Adwiteeya Shiwakoti

KATHMANDU

With the end of Nepali month Ashar and beginning of Shrawan, comes in the craze of Mehendi. You will see ladies decorating their palms with heena having different designs, from simple to complex, during the month of Shrawan.

And a two-day event titled ‘Namaste Mehendi Convention 2019’ began on Tuesday at Labim Mall, Pulchowk and Civil Mall, Sundhara which is the third edition of its kind. The event aims to be a platform to empower women by letting their passion come to life and fill the gap between Mahendi artists and those who want to have mehendi.

A total of 20 mehendi artists, all women got an opportunity to explore their talent in the event. "Art has been my hobby since my childhood and decorating palms with mehendi is also a form of art which I really enjoy. And after I filled up a form which was an open call for mehedi artist to participate in the event on social media, I got selected and I am here for the event,” shared Aisha, mehendi artist and who is also a student of fashion designing.

As you enter the mall, you can see these artists occupying the ground floor with a catalogue for heena designs where you can ask for any mehendi designs that cost you Rs 200 per design.  “Unlike the past two years, the number of participants has increased. It feels like we have leveled up. Since it was an open call in the social media we got 20 interested henna artists full of passion,” said Faija Parween, the event manager.

There was also a pre-event on Tuesday which was meant for training the artists on the topic of digital marketing and personal branding. This was for making the artists be more selfless and competent. "This is really a good way to let women know that passion is not to be locked inside them but to explore outside to be shown to the world. I am really happy with how my mehendi turned out too," said Puspa Jain a local from Ghantaghar, who was getting a mehendi design at Civil Mall.