The Henna Artist

The art of henna designs figures prominently in the novel. These aren’t simply pretty geometric shapes without meaning. Each picture is unique and meaningful. Lakshmi is celebrated for her intricate designs, and her skills are in demand among the Jaipur elite. The designs have a variety of symbolic meanings, some of which are tied to folk magic. In one instance, Lakshmi paints a design of frolicking babies on Kanta’s abdomen intended to encourage pregnancy. Other of Lakshmi’s clients use the designs for different purposes, such as disguising arthritic hands so that they will appear more attractive to their spouses.

Although henna may also be worn by men for medicinal and spiritual purposes, it is primarily an art reserved for women. The fact that henna art is inscribed on women’s bodies indicates that it possesses sexual associations. Lakshmi decorates Pavarti’s feet with this purpose in mind: “On her soles, intended for a husband’s eyes alone, I was painting a large fig, plump and sensual, split in half” (21). Before she came to Jaipur, Lakshmi plied her craft among the courtesans of Agra. She painted designs on their bodies that were meant to excite amorous interest in their clients: “Nautch girls […] concealed their names within the henna design on their body.