Why Im in love with my own hand

So, I went to get Mendi done.  Just for fun. Since I didn't have the chance to do it for the wedding, I and Eszter went to the market and on our way out decided to get our hand done. Its rather fun. 

I've only ever seen guys doing the art work.  They sit on the street and have little stools that you can sit on.  Takes about 20 minutes and costs about 30 rs.  It was raining that day, but it was still cool to get done.  My artist didn't even ask me any questions just started in on my hand.
I think I got the wrong hand done, but thats OK. 
 It did make for an awkward evening of trying to get money out of my wallet, undress myself for bed, take my contacts out, going to the bathroom, and even sleeping.

To do this right, first, the mendi has to dry - which can take a while, until then you have to walk around with your hand either up in front of your body so everyone passing you can see that they shouldn't touch you, or down at your side and hope that no one bumps into you.  This is quite difficult in a country where 1,000 people live in 1 ha.  We made the intelligent choice (can you sense the scarcasim here?) to go to McDonalds after getting this done.  It wasn't smart 1. because it was a bit of a walk through crowded streets, and 2. it was packed in McDonalds, and 3. it was total stimulation overload for me having not been the McDonalds here in Dun...

Standing in the swaying crowd to order was nutz cuz people were bumping and pushing and shoving their way to the front of the line - as they do in any sort of line anywhere in India...there is no such thing as an orderly que.  Anyway, the one smart thing we did was take a rickshaw home instead of fighting the crowds to get into a vikrum and squeeze in with 7 other people.  BUT while we were on our way home we both noticed that our hands were stinging.  Its not supposed to sting.  Eszters hand got really read.  I hypothesize that it had something to do with the oil they rubbed on our wrists before applying the henna.  This is because my stinging was very localized to where they put the oil...very logical I know.  Eszter didn't believe me...OH well.
After it dries, you are supposed to put lemon and sugar water on it...BUT we didn't find that out until much later in the evening.  Eszter was told that you were supposed to put oil on it....so it was either cooking oil (eew cuz Eszter had mustard oil and that just makes my stomach churn sometimes) or my hair oil which is this almond coconut stuff that the girls have convinced me to start trying.  Anyway, we used the hair oil.  It stopped the stinging for a while.  Divya then came by and told us about the lemon sugar mixture and OH boy was that even better.  You don't do the oil until AFTER you have removed the dried artwork.  The heat from the oil will make it darker.  This will make it last longer.  If, like I did, you get this done at night, you want it to last as long as possible you keep it on as long as possible.  Therefore I tied a grocery bag around my hand for the evening.  This was after of course the strange struggles with dressing, undressing, brushing my teeth with my left hand - not as easy.  Found myself moving my head back and forth instead of the tooth brush at times.  It was easier...but made me dizzy.

So with sugar lemon water and a plastic bag over my hand I went to bed.  Getting this stuff off the next day was a struggle.  It was caked on to my hand and hair.  I tried applying oil...OH yes, I forgot to say, You are NOT allowed to get your hand wet with water for 24hrs after you get this stuff applied.  That means showering happens with a plastic bag (if you so choose) and any other type of washing is off limits.  Great for getting out of doing dishes or household chores.  Can't do nothin while this is on your hand.  So, applying oil or sugar water again to loosen it up.  Took a spoon and scraped it off my skin. 

This photo is what it looks like the next day immediately after removal.

I loved that the guy put 2 peacocks on without even asking.  I am so impressed and want to do this again and it hasn't even had the chance to fade.  Its very cool.  1/2 way through the next day the color darkened.  They say the darker the color, the more your mother in law will like you...or love you as her daughter.  They aslo say that the intitial of your husband to be will be put into the design adn it is up to the bride to find it.  The color on the wrist and back of my hand is not as intense as on my palm.  Its rather distracting sometimes cuz I catch it out of the corner of my eye and wonder what's on my hand...OH yeah.  cool.  and I stair at my hand for a little while.