Mehndi's is etched in the history of India from time immemorial. Every happy occasion typically has Mehndi ritual for women and men (in some places). Intricate patterns decorate hands and feet. Years ago, if you asked people what came to their mind after a mere mention of FARIDABAD : their first answer would have been MEHNDI. !!! Probably, closely followed by the thoughts of Peacocks and monkeys !! Yes ! that was and has been the historic identity of Faridabad. As the bus from Delhi stopped at the bus stop or as trains stopped at the station: along with the chai wala or toffee, churan and newspaper wala, came the mehndi wala: shouting at the top of his voice, " faridabad ki mashhoor mehndi: le lo mehndi ".
( above picture taken from Wikipedia)
Years before company brands started taking hold, City or place was the brand. Amazing how that worked. Agra famous for "Petha Mithai", Mathura for "Pedas", Khurja for "Khurchan", Amritsar for "Kulcha Chole", Panipat for "achaar and bed covers", Malihabad for mangoes, Nagpur for oranges, Aligarh for locks and so on and so forth. There was no media advertising, it was the word of mouth. The whole community was the beneficiary of the Brand. So, Faridabad was intricately connected with Mehndi.
For a very long time, Mehndi was likely the biggest revenue source for Faridabad. Mehndi was sold all over India and exported to various countries in the middle east and Africa. As I write this, the unmistakable aroma of drying leaves wafts back into my mind. For an unfamiliar person, it may not necessary be a pleasant smell but as you grew up, it became a part of life for you. Although, the big names in the business were Lala Kishan Lal Sham Lal, Lala Kuria Mal and sons, Lala Ram Gopal and Sons, there were several others including Ishar Das Amir Chand, and our firm, Arjun Dev Hari Kishan. One grew up watching various stages of Mehndi production in progress. As we played cricket or other games, quite often the ball would land on the " Godaam or Baradari " grounds where Mehndi leaves were drying out in the Sun. Mehndi was grown right here in the fields beyond the Agra Canal. This gave birth to the term Nehr Paar, which has persisted to this day. It was quite usual to see men and women carrying huge "Pallis" ( jute sheets) of mehndi leaves on their head to mehndi godowns. The green coating of crushed mehndi powder was all over the grounds and on the faces of the workers near the mehndi chakkis. It was quite amusing for us to know that mixing fine sand and additional dye was an intricate part of the process. Dried mehndi plant wood was extensively used for cooking at home or even for Holi or Lohri festivals. All the Lalas would walk around with sample red spots on their hands for testing and display. The dignity of the Lala's walking in their crisp while dhoti- kurta holding one edge of dhoti in their hand was just pure classic. As a child it was so natural to be intrigued by the processing from start to finish, we learnt the intricacies not by being taught but just by watching. At times, we would join in the process like walking on the grounds full of mehndi leaves to help spread and turn over the leaves to help them dry. Initially, the packaging for retail was done in paper bags but later on printed plastic bags came into vogue. Sealing those bags was another fun activity. I must share some pictures of these beautiful plants that have been a huge part of Faridabad's history. I also thank my friend Mr Sunil Garg who graciously has helped me recall events and names and provided beautiful pictures.
( Pictures Courtesy Mr. Sunil Garg)
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