As part of a traveling series across the San Mateo County Libraries (SMCL), the Atherton Library hosted a Diwali Henna Art session on Saturday afternoon. Community members got henna designs done on their hands by local artist Swati Bhopale while socializing.
Henna, a natural plant-based dye made from the dried and powdered leaves of the Lawsonia Inermis shrub, was the main attraction. The paste dyes the skin to create a temporary, intricate design in a reddish-orange hue. Henna is commonly used for South Asian celebrations, weddings, and other cultural traditions like Karva Chauth and Teej.
The event was first-come, first-served, and young families quickly lined up next to the table to join the waitlist. While waiting, guests were able to look through a book of designs and pick which pattern they wanted on their hand. After the design was finished, community members could also choose to add glitter to the art.
After learning henna when she was 12 years old, Bhopale has been involved with the SMCL Diwali events for over 10 years. “I learned henna because of our tradition, and in India, [it] is our good luck,” she said.
Bhopale also started her own henna business after coming to the U.S. “In 2011, I started back [up], and I started my business,” she said. “Then I started working with other people.”
Bhopale appreciated how more people are celebrating the tradition of Diwali. “Nowadays, every [event] is full with around 30 people,” she said.
Community member Sneha Vasudevan brought her son to learn about mehndi, elaborate designs created with henna paste. “I wanted my son to know what mehndi is. It’s a ritual in India, and today is Diwali, so I just wanted to make it a bit more festive,” she said. “This is our first time, and it just celebrates where we come from and who we are.”
Vasudevan described how she celebrates Diwali at home. “We’re going somewhere today for a party, and then at night, we light a lot of lamps to bring light into our lives,” Vasudevan said.
Community member Sara Kinney appreciated the opportunity to learn about a central tradition in many Indian celebrations. “We don’t practice Diwali at our house, so it’s fun to try out different things from different cultures, and we get a cool art on our body too,” Kinney said.
The complete list of San Mateo County Library Diwali celebrations can be found here.
