Mehndi is a traditional body art originating over 5,000 years ago in the Middle East and Northern Africa, involving applying a paste made from henna plant leaves to stain the skin a cherry red to brown color. The art form is practiced through intricate designs applied to the hands, feet, or other body parts and has been used for artistic, ritual, and ceremonial purposes throughout history in the Middle East, India, and parts of Africa. Mehndi first served the practical purpose of cooling the body through small dot applications to the palms but evolved into an artistic practice, especially as applied to the hands and feet.