Stalls selling jewellery and henna are doing roaring business these days, as these two items are most popular with girls, who throng to these stalls like bees to a hive in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Young girls match bangles with the colours of their Eid dresses, while many of them rush towards henna stalls to embellish their hands before the Eid’s arrival. Sale of bangles and `mehndi’ has picked up momentum in twin cities as mehndi and bangles are much important for the beauty and happiness in women’s life. Bangles and mehndi attract women, irrespective of their age, and it’s true to say it’s Eid, if women are wearing colourful and matching bangles and have mehndi designs on their hands. Every year, parlours introduce new and unique designs of mehndi as every girl wants to have a new and different design on her hands so she could look different from her friends and relatives. Flowery designs and fine lines are popular on Eid while many young girls make their own designs. Use of glittering and shining powder as well as stars is a new addition to mehndi designs.
Bangles are made from different materials such as glass, plastic and even gold.Though bangles are worn all over the world for style and fashion, glass bangles are renowned and are in great demand. “Women love to wear bangles and adore their hands with henna.
It is not only a symbol of fashion but it is also a tradition,” says Nida Ali, a housewife adding, “Like every year, I will spend whole night with my friends on Chand Raat, visiting markets and buying bangles and other accessories. And the last essential thing for me is applying henna on Chand Raat.”
She says henna tattoos are also available in markets and are easy to paste on hands and feet and can be removed easily.
