Inside a Thursday at the studio: making cones
Sifting, soaking, resting and rolling: how a kilo of henna becomes 80 cones.
Karwa Chauth and Teej mehendi in Lucknow
The two busiest days of our year, and how to get a slot without waiting in a queue.
Every year, the week before Karwa Chauth is our busiest of the whole calendar. Married women want mehendi the day before the fast, and most want it in the evening after work. Teej, in the monsoon, is a close second. If you leave it to the last day, you will wait.
We open bookings for Karwa Chauth on 10 October this year. Slots are 30 minutes long, from 10 am to 11 pm on the two days before the festival, and you can book them on WhatsApp with a ₹200 advance. Walk-ins are taken in the gaps, but we cannot promise a time. Groups of four or more from one family can book a home visit instead.
For both festivals, the designs are lighter than bridal ones: a full palm with a moon or a kalash for Karwa Chauth, and swings, peacocks and green leaves for Teej. Both palms in a festival design cost ₹600 to ₹1,200 depending on how far up the wrist you go.
If you want a dark stain for puja the next evening, come the day before, not the morning of. Henna needs a full day to darken. And if you are fasting, eat well before your appointment. Sitting with your hands up for an hour is easier on a full stomach.
