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A colourful journey
CHITRA RADHAKRISHNANCHITRA RADHAKRISHNAN
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Henna, used widely as a dye, has its origins in North Africa and South West Asia
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The henna shrub
Henna, popularly known as Mehndi in Hindi, Gorintaku in Telugu, Mylanji in Tamil and Malayalam, is a branched shrub or small tree indigenous to North Africa and South West Asia. It belongs to the family Lythraceae and is known by the botanical name Lawsomia inermis. The plant grows to about two to three metres tall and has small, opposite inter leaves that are two to three cms long.
Colour me bright
The flowers are numerous, white in colour, fragrant and borne in large terminal panicles in summer. The capsular fruits are globose, size of a pea and have numerous pyramid shaped seeds. Lawsonia is a favourite of many Hindu gardens. The flowers are used for puja. The orange dye called henna is obtained from the leaves and young shoots. This is used widely by women in India and the middle East for tinting finger nails and palms. This is also used as a hair dye. The plant is now extensively grown in India, Egypt, Sudan, Iran, Pakistan and Australia. It is grown all over India as a hedge plant and cultivated as a dye crop mainly in Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
The principal colouring matter of the leaves is `lawsome'. Propagation is done by seeds or cutting. Harvesting of branches begins second year onwards. The yield is initially low but increases with time.
Branches are dried in the shade and the leaves are separated and powdered. Powder is made into a thick paste with water and applied to the part to be dyed. It is harmless and causes no irritation to the skin. The dye is also used for colouring leather and manes of horses. Henna is a very fast dye. Henna oil obtained by steam distillation of the flowers is used to make perfumes since ancient times. Henna flowers, ground and mixed with water, when taken internally helps hair growth and clears the skin; it is also good for general health.
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