The ‘MehndiKrit Ramayana’ features 51 episodes from the epic, combining Warli art, handwritten chaupais, and Hindi and English translations.
Surat (Gujarat) [India], November 4: Mehndi artist Nimisha Parekh from Surat has created a unique artwork by presenting episodes from the Ramayana through the traditional art of mehndi.
Described as the world’s first Ramayana written using mehndi, the artwork, titled MehndiKrit Ramayana, features 51 important episodes from the epic, illustrated in the Warli art style. Each episode is accompanied by a relevant chaupai written using mehndi. To help younger generations and people who speak different languages understand the verses, Hindi and English translations have also been included.
The artwork took Nimisha Parekh around one-and-a-half to two years to complete. The creation has now received the blessings of spiritual leader Morari Bapu, giving her work further encouragement.
Nimisha Parekh met Morari Bapu on a recent date and presented him with a copy of MehndiKrit Ramayana. After viewing the book, he blessed her and wrote his words of encouragement in it, along with the date. Parekh described the interaction as a remarkable experience. She also said that Morari Bapu had mentioned her effort to present 51 episodes of the Ramayana through mehndi at the beginning of one of his discourses. His blessings have given special encouragement to her artistic initiative.
Inspired by the Construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya
During the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the growing devotion to Lord Ram across India and abroad inspired Nimisha Parekh to contribute to the Ramayana in her own way as a mehndi artist.
She initially presented 51 episodes of the Ramayana through mehndi designs on the hands of 51 women. This distinctive initiative earned her a place in the Asia Book of Records. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel subsequently invited her to Gandhinagar and encouraged her by presenting a certificate of appreciation.
However, mehndi designs on the hands gradually fade away. To preserve the Ramayana episodes for a longer time, Parekh decided to recreate them on canvas using the Warli art style. She illustrated 51 episodes and wrote the corresponding chaupais using mehndi. This work was eventually developed into a book titled MehndiKrit Ramayana.
A Unique Blend of Two Indian Art Forms
MehndiKrit Ramayana brings together mehndi, a traditional Indian art form, and Warli painting, a folk art tradition associated with Maharashtra.
Each episode is presented visually, making the stories easier for children to understand while encouraging younger generations to take an interest in the Ramayana. The inclusion of Hindi and English translations also aims to make the verses accessible to readers from different linguistic backgrounds.
Through this combination of visual storytelling, traditional art and religious literature, the book offers a distinctive way to present the timeless epic.
35 Years of Experimentation with Mehndi Art
Nimisha Parekh has been associated with mehndi art for the past 35 years. Rather than limiting the art form to decoration, she has consistently explored ways to use it to express emotions, preserve memories and narrate meaningful stories. For the past 20 to 25 years, she has been incorporating important moments and personal experiences from people’s lives into her mehndi designs.
Her work also extends to maternity-related belly mehndi as part of Garbh Sanskar practices. She has additionally worked with cancer patients, creating mehndi designs on the scalps of those who have lost their hair during treatment. These designs aim to help patients experience a sense of positivity during a difficult period.
For Parekh, mehndi is not merely a symbol of beauty or status. It is a medium for expressing emotions, celebrating culture and spreading positivity.
MehndiKrit Ramayana reflects this philosophy by giving the traditional art form a spiritual and cultural dimension, preserving the stories of the Ramayana through an unusual combination of mehndi, Warli paintings and written verses.
